Ask Amy: Perfectionist wants to sleep on it
Dear Amy: I have such a strong drive to be productive, to take action, to keep things organized, and to stay perfectly on top of everything.
This is good to a certain extent, but I am past that borderline.
I suffer from sleep issues — falling and staying asleep. Plus, constantly thinking about what needs to be done makes it difficult for me to enjoy being present in the moment.
I can’t relax unless things are put away and mostly everything that needs to be done is done. My mom was like this, so I know I get it from her!
Years of being an operations manager further honed this trait.
Besides wanting to improve my health by getting better rest, I’m also concerned that if my husband and I have children, I may be constantly stressed out because it’ll be impossible to keep things clean and organized and keep on top of what needs to be done.
In my current job, my work-life balance is pretty good, and during weekends or vacations, I don’t think about work much, so — things could be worse.
I’ve tried meditation, but it didn’t connect well with me. I’ve seen a therapist for years, but he hasn’t been much help with this particular issue.
How do I learn to become OK with being still and to rest better?
— Just Like Mom
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