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Backlog/Distraction

At various points in my career I have struggled with distractions because of ongoing family issues. I love the members of my family and so when they are in pain it occupies a significant chunk of my mental real estate.

The first time I couldn't avoid the issue was the premature birth of our first child, who arrived 6.5 weeks early. I was department chair at the time and I did what I could to teach my classes and enable my department members to do their job for the 23 days he spent in the neonatal intensive care unit when I was only sleeping a few hours each night. It was obvious to all around me what I was going through and my loved ones and friends all worked to lighten my load.

Since then I have had other such issues, sometimes obvious (the death of my father) and often less obvious. I am introverted and do not easily go out of my way to share what I am going through or ask for help.

I have a close relative right now whose dementia has taken a turn for the worse. I am physically at my job but only the teaching has received my best efforts. I've fallen behind of where I wanted to be in terms of committee work and it weighs upon me; should I step down? should I ask others to take the lead?

But I know how this works as I have been doing it for a while, in good times and bad. I will explain my lateness, honestly but tersely, and pick up the work and do it. It is why people keep coming back to me to do things for them. I fall short of my own standards but the excellent will not be the enemy of the good in my life. Good work is good work. Sometimes, every now and then, I do great work. Not today though.

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