I learned the concept of “unique stacking order” (“U. S. O.,” for short) from Richard Carlson, author of Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. Each of us, says Carlson, can manage a different number of projects at a time. Some are like the waiters in a restaurant who can carry a seemingly endless number of plates from the kitchen to the table, balancing them so gracefully it seems like no burden at all. They have no problem seeing each project through to fruition.
“More,” they say.
Others look at them in amazement.
“That would drive me nuts,” they say. “Let me just take one or two things at a time. That’s all I can handle.”
These people also are able to get the important things done.
But sometimes the people try to switch places. Person A, carrier of many plates, reads a book or goes to a class or a therapist, and is told, “Your problem is you try to do too many things.” She tries just doing one or two projects and is soon bored out of her mind.
Meanwhile, Person B reads a book, goes to a class, or sees a therapist, and is told, “You are really limiting yourself. You should experiment more.” (Or somebody leaves the company and everyone is invited to “pitch in” while they reorganize.) He tries working on several new projects, and is soon overwhelmed.
What’s the lesson, class? Be yourself. Be aware of your U. S. O.—how many projects you can handle gracefully. Keep it to that number.
Now let’s apply this to the current political season. Some people–call this tribe “C”–often called “political junkies,” are always up on the latest issues, reading policy papers, going to meetings, making calls, reading articles and blogposts online, commenting on some, perhaps writing some themselves. They love it. It makes them feel connected to the community and to the wider world. The parts of politics that are less than thrilling—sometimes downright ugly—don’t throw a person like this. She just sees it as part of the picture, something she has to deal with on the way to getting things done. Person C can’t imagine how others take no interest in the world in which we live.
Person D, meanwhile, has a massive headache. He has been trying to keep up on everything, after persistent needling from his brother. But he doesn’t shrug things off as easily as Person C. Especially this year, with so much negativity, and even meanness—that kind of thing bothers him. He isn’t sleeping well, can’t seem to get his projects done, finds himself arguing more than he wants to. He doesn’t want to withdraw—well, actually, he does, but he feels guilty about it. What to do?
U. S. O. to the rescue: Know your unique political stacking order. But how?
Let’s talk about food. Many people have had the experience of laying face down on the bed after eating too much at a holiday meal. (For some Americans, this happens like clockwork every year on a certain Thursday in November.) Afterward, many resolve to redefine “enough,” and decide they will stop eating before they feel completely full (or overfilled, “stuffed”).
Apply that to the news. Accept the fact that you will never know everything about any issue. There will always be some new development and, unless you have nothing else to do with your time (and energy), it’s best to determine what is “enough” in this context.
A key part of this process is to determine what you want your civic engagement to be. There is no shortage of civic need. Will your involvement be local? Which issues in the community concern you most? Which candidates do you find compelling, locally and nationally? Perhaps most important: Where do you think you can be of most use?
Someone with an eating disorder once said of people like him, “We look at a menu and say, ‘Yes.’” Don’t say “Yes” to every shred of political news (unless you report on the news for a living) or every cause that asks for your help. Determine how much information you want to take in, how much you can absorb without feeling overwhelmed, and what level and kind of civic involvement makes most sense for you.
Being involved in the world is a very good thing. But be sure to do it consciously, and you’ll be able to be better informed and make a more effective contribution across the board—plus, you’ll enjoy your life a whole lot more.
©2016 Laynie Tzena. All Rights Reserved.
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