Last week, my work started off at a reasonable pace. There were only a few meetings on my calendar and there were several open blocks of time for deep work. The deadlines, and there were a couple, were manageable, and I had a robust plan.

One of Monday’s meetings grew into three more meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday.

While eating dinner on Wednesday, the new crown on my tooth cracked. This led to visiting the dentist on Thursday. I was gratefully they were able to work me in. But then I worked till 9:30 PM on Thursday to make up for lost time from the dentist and from extra meetings.

Friday ended with a push to get work out. People were waiting for it.

In racing cars, when you try to corner, they tell you, “Slow in, fast out”. Brake before you enter the corner, accelerate after. This keeps the car stable and saves you time. However, there is no advice to negotiate a curve that keeps changing. This is what last week felt like — I though I had a plan until the track changed midway through the corner.

At the root of these hyperactive situations is an incomplete or missing process. Cal Newport gets into this in A World Without Email. Give it a read if this feels like your life.