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Alamb

Author/Television Reporter

Amanda Lamb is a professional television journalist and author. She covers murder trials by day and reads Dora the Explorer to her children at night. Somewhere in between all of that she writes about those parenting moments that catch each us off-guard in a crazy, chaotic, and wonderful way. Aman...

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Running from the Tidal Wave

Amanda Lamb

As I was drying my hair this morning and flipping through a copy of “O” magazine I noticed an illustration of a woman cowering beneath a tidal wave.  Without even looking at the title of the article,  I knew it was about over-committed women.  I read on, and it was.

It described an interesting  new phenomenon dubbed “attentional blindness” which therapists say occurs when we get overwhelmed by too many priority tasks at one time.  Instead of prioritising our priorities, we shut down completely, unable to cope with even the most menial task.  Recently I’ve discovered this happening to me several times a day, and it is not a good feeling.

This happens when several things vie for your attention at the same time.  For me, there is always a deadline looming in television news.  Lately, I have deadlines looming in the publishing world as well.  In addition, I have deadlines involving my children and their schools and activities.  Every single one demands my immediate and undivided attention which of course is not humanly possible. 

My reaction to this overwhelming feeling- wrap Christmas presents, bake pumpkin bread or read a book with my girls, or take a bath and read a magazine.  I liken it to road rage.  I could go off, and tell the people asking me that their demands are unreasonable (which will ultimately will get me nowhere), or I can decompress and try to figure out how to get through the trees so I can see the forest again.

One thing I know for sure, in 2008 I need to get as far away from the tidal wave as possible.  Not sure how to make that happen, but I’m thinking about it really hard while I soak in the bathtub.  I was blind, but now I see...