Psychological Torture

It took me well over an hour to get to work today. And as I was sitting underneath a freeway sign that blurts out how long the commute is from that point to where I need to be, I realized something. That's psychological torture.

I'm, by definition of a personality test I took in my Managing Project Teams class, a Sensor. Which means I am super in need to get things done now, pronto, don't have time to chitty chat, wanna move move move.

That's important to know since I'm going to talk about ALL the psychological torture one goes through in a day that I'll bet you never thought of - well, unless you're a sensor. Or worse you're wondering why I'm thinking about them...

First let's start with the commuter time indicator. That's just mean. By the time I get to this particular indicator I've usually already been sitting in traffic. I know how far I have to go. I know there's traffic...I don't really need to know its going to take me 31 minutes to go another 7 miles. Torture, I tellya. Of course the flip of that was if that sign EVER said 7 minutes for the next 7 miles...which it wouldn't because this particular freeway NEVER is that fast.

Then there's the psychological torture tools my computer unleashes on me. That bar that tells me how much more it'll take to download something as I sit and tap my feet wondering why its taking so long (when its only taking a couple seconds...maybe).

But what's worse is when your computer is working and you get no bar telling you its working. You know its working because its making noise, but you see nothing. So you click on things to "make it move faster". Or you move your mouse around to "make it move faster". The little "window's flag" in the corner of IE that waves as its loading a site. Torture!

And the clock. I'm a clock watcher. I watch the minutes slowly tick away all day. Waiting, helplessly for 4pm to come when I can hurry and sit in traffic and watch the psychological torture that is traffic.

The other thing that's torturous (if that's a word) to me, are pop up reminders. I know they're there for a reason. But I'm a clock watcher...I know when I have a meeting coming...and I know when I'm running late for that meeting. But its the worse when you're trying to get something done in time for that meeting, and this little evil remind pops up and YELLS at you that you only have 15 minutes left. Snoozing it is good, but then it pops up again (and if it could laugh I'm sure it would be one that is evil) at 5 minutes. Argh! And I can't turn them off because I secretly need to know when I'm about to be late...are you starting to see my dilemna now?

Maybe I should cut down on the caffeine! And don't get me started on waiting in line for my morning coffee...