Study Forge

About 20 years ago, I heard a very interesting term...
Someone mentioned that they "compartmentalize" things in life, so they handle stress better.
And that's all I remember about it what they said.
The way I perceived it -> innate ability or talent -> Like photographic memory
But, as it turns out, it's actually a skill that you can learn
Now, I'm keenly aware that such a skill can be used in excess
Also, that's not only a skill, but also a habit
Where the person uses it as an uhealthy defense mechanism, leading to emotional avoidance or repressed emotions...
That then leads to strained relationships
But what I'm going to talk about this morning -> balanced approach
And balancing is knowing when and what to compartmentalize
Defined: the mental skill of separating different aspects of life—like emotions, work, and personal issues—into distinct "compartments" to prevent them from interfering with each other.
Kind of like separating kids when they aren't getting along.

About a month ago, I came out of a six month long depression
I had a client that...
Things snowballed from there
[lite elab]
And I was sitting here at CaB (that I BARELY made it to, btw)...
[lite elab]
I don't remember what was said, exactly, but it reminded me of what I heard 20+ years ago

Imagine that in your head resides an office...
The "Department of Problem Solving"
And sometimes, that's where you work...
And sometimes, you work overtime hours!
Because we're trying to solve so many problems at once
But why?
Well, for me, every day at the office, clients (problems) line up outside, banging on my door
And when I come to let the first 'client' in, they all try and push thheir way inside, at once
1. Don't forget you need to work on fixing that website bug!
2. Hey, I need you to clean the kitchen!
3. Hey, I need you to make that doctor's appointment!
4. Hey, I need you to get the oil change!
5. Hey, I need you to go to the bank!
6. Don't forget that so-and-so is still mad at you!
7. Gas prices went up! (You can't solve that one)
8. Don't forget about that thing you saw on the news that you don't like!
And that's just the beginning!

What happens when you have a room full of anxious and angry people?
The anxiety of one amplifies the anxiety of another
Same thing happens with an office full of problems
PROBLEM A: "Hey, you need to solve me!"
PROBLEM B: "No, I was here first!"
PROBLEM A: "Oh shut up! I'm more important!"
PROBLEM C: "Both of you shut up! I'M THE MOST IMPORTANT!"
PROBLEM D: "Are gonna let your brother get away with insulting you the other day??"
Sounds like chaos, doesn't it?
That's because it is.
Because that's going on in the Office of Problem Solving
And the OoPS resides in your head
And you're the ONLY EMPLOYEE!

Compartmentlizing is also keeping one problem from making others worse
[ Play it out ]
What about when someone has upset you?
Like other problems, the 'pain' of it can radiate out and affect how you see other problems
For example: [ DEMONSTRATE 'Being hurt/angered -> taking it out on...' ]
If you don't keep social issues where they belong (within their OWN context), they will cause you to take the stress you feel from it out on others

Compartmentalization is not just an innate or automatic thing. It's also a skill.
It's the ability to keep problems isolated in such a way that you can deal with them using wisdom and efficiency
You prioritize the problems that need solved
You take each problem one at a time and make the others 'wait their turn' (taking command)
You consistantly remind yourself that one person's offense is not everyone's offense
This takes consistancy in action. Repetition is the key to mastery.
If you can do this, the positive effects are...
1. Problems being solved
2. Problems being solved wisely
3. stress levels kept where they should be
4. Work and home life are effectively separated
5. Your relationships with others are far less strained

Compartmentalize It!