This is More than your Common Case of Laziness

Why can't I get my mind to focus on any one path?!

I do freelance writing for a living. Dr. Norman Rosenthal described why he normally refuses to have fall or winter deadlines. I thought I was going to outsmart him, and maintain the same level of writing as the rest of the year. I was wrong.

In addition to the standard exhaustion that Seasonal Affective Disorder brings, along with your common case of laziness, I have been having severe problems focusing to do even a simple task. I simply cannot get my mind to focus on any one thing. My memory is failing, my motivation is lacking, and I just cannot concentrate.

We are experiencing some fabulous weather for early March, and I thought the sun and warmer temperatures today would cause me to experience a newfound determination to get my work done. I stepped out to enjoy some sunshine; I opened windows in the house; I turned on my light; I exercised; I played some music; I did some physical housework; I ate some indulgent snacks (Dove Ice Cream Miniatures, to be exact); and I drank some coffee– all to no avail. I have gotten some work done, but the thought of meeting a deadline next week is daunting, especially when I was trying to work on one assignment, and just got another.

I decided to take a blogging break to see if the natural flow of creativity that comes with it would calm me down and help me to be more productive. True to zombie form, when I get like this, it is almost like my eyes cannot clearly focus on any one thing, which makes reading or writing difficult. I cannot properly process information. People can talk to me, and I will completely ignore what they say (and not even on purpose this time). Language becomes more foreign, and my coordination less accurate. I am at a loss as to how to remedy this.

I know that many people experience some relief as spring is on the horizon. For me personally, this is often the toughest time of all.

Do you have any ways that you manage to increase concentration and focus in spite of your S.A.D.? If so, I would sure love to hear them– comment below, and help a fellow zombie out.

Did you ever notice that zombies seem to have trouble focusing on any one thing? This seems to be the case both physically with their eyes and mentally with their mind.

So Tired It Hurts…

I have just went head-first into a wall, and I do not know how to recover...

On Friday evening after meeting my publication deadline, I was excited to move onto housework and other responsibilities. By the end of the evening, I was experiencing a level of exhaustion that was almost unbearable. I assumed it was due to the deadline and how hard that I had worked to complete my work, and that it would pass after a night’s rest.

Well, it didn’t. Here it is Tuesday evening, and I have been the epitome of a zombie since that time. I am literally so tired that it hurts. My body hurts; my mind aches; I cannot think straight; and my coordination is slow and lacking. I hit a brick wall before the weekend, and I have not since recovered.

I have tried caffeine, and that is not helping. I have tried rest, but any reprieve is only temporary. Eating and drinking does not help. Today, February 21, 2012, I took one of my small lights out for the first time. I have had it on since the early afternoon, and I am still deliriously tired. It is truly hard to describe.

I have a tiring week ahead of me, and if this continues, I am wondering how I am going to make it. I had assumed that the fatigue may have been due to “that” time of the month or impending sickness, which it may still be, but as time drags on, and I still feel like I have been run over by a train, I am beginning to doubt those two contributing factors.

I am starting to remember what S.A.D. truly feels like. I always know and remember, but still seem to forget the full magnitude of it. It’s no joke. I am truly living like the walking dead right now.

Life as a zombie is just no life at all...

My Own Personal Rules of S.A.D. Survival II

Well, I made it through the holiday season, and I am assuming that you did, too, if you are now reading this. It was a good stretch, and I had plenty of down time to get caught up on some writing and other things around the house. That has continued into this week, as it is has been extremely slow, but I am not complaining! It’s nice to have time to breathe and do some duties that normally get thrown by the wayside.

Part of my productivity and inspiration has stemmed from the decent weather that we have had thus far. The snow blower has remained in the garage, and we have barely had any snow to even speak of. Today was up to almost 50 degrees with full sun all day. We have been very blessed, to say the least. May it continue!

What is in your S.A.D. survival guide? I'm sharing what's in mine...

In one of my last blog posts, I talked about having some personal rules of S.A.D. survival. Well, good news, because I have the second installment of the post that was featured on The Crazy Rambler:

Guest Post II by “My Life as a Zombie” Dealing With S.A.D.

If you live someplace that Seasonal Affective Disorder is common, you know that you will deal with it on an annual basis, so it is wise to develop your own “S.A.D. Survival Guide,” whether formally or informally.

I want to thank The Crazy Rambler again for allowing me to take up some valuable space on her blog. I hope that you will check out her blog, which is much more advanced and versatile than this one.

In other news, this has nothing to do with S.A.D., but since zombies are an interest of mine, I thought it would be interesting to pass along this scientific news story about bees exhibiting zombie-like behavior:

Discovery.com– FLY PARASITE TURNS HONEY BEES INTO ‘ZOMBIES’

Maybe these zombie bees were exhibiting signs of S.A.D. by gravitating towards light and walking around in circles. That description does not sound all that different from me during winter. 😉 Talk about killer bees…

Enjoy the upcoming weekend!

"Zombee"? This news story suggests that the concept may be more real than we think. Photo credit: ShirtShovel.com