In work, as in life, things can tend to pile up: the things you have to do, the things you’d like to do, and the things that seem just that far out of reach that you wonder if you’ll ever get a chance to do them. Prioritizing everything that comes your way isn’t always easy. All too often we find ourselves with so much to do, so many options, that it's all so overwhelming and we don't even know where to start.
I recently came across a song I hadn’t heard in well over fifteen years, from a great band back in the heyday of the early ‘90s punk scene I found myself a part of. The lyrical point is short and simple, a sentiment that I felt applied to me then, and a feeling I still can relate to today... Too many buttons and not enough holes- so much in life to do, so many places to go and people to see, that it all seems both scary and exciting. We all feel like that when we’re young adults or especially just starting out in this business; it's part of the natural process of growing up, or immersing oneself in a craft. In fact, I think it’s sad that as we get older that lust for life, yearning for experience, and hunger for knowledge often gets suppressed. We let go of some of our dreams, whether we mean to or not.
When I heard that song the other day, I got to thinking that maybe being a chef has allowed me to hold on to the idealism of youth, albeit in a different form, by channeling it into my work. Some people live out their personal goals through their hobbies, their kids, or maybe their two weeks of vacation every year. Or perhaps they simply live vicariously through others. I find in my job a world of exploration, and endless amount of stuff to do. Of course, a great deal of it is stuff that absolutely must be done right now, and under a degree of pressure to do it perfectly. But then there are all of those other things that make you want to be better and faster at what you do, the things that make you smarter. We certainly find fulfillment and a sense of accomplishment in getting the necessary things done, but we also strive to squeeze in the stuff that’s fun, or the stuff that we know will ultimately serve us in the future. When we aren’t satisfied with what we have to do- it happens to the best of us- those other things become the light at the end of the tunnel, the motivation.
Everyday is a new day. I often joke that I add more items to my to-do list through the course of the day than I could ever possibly get done. Too many buttons and not enough holes. I find a certain optimism in that. It’s certainly better than being bored. The trick is managing it, making sure that there’s focus. Sometimes it all becomes about the list, rather than the things on it. And when we’re confronted with a whole lot of little tasks, it tends to morph into one large insurmountable chore, one that will just never get done. It’s funny how we see 60 one-minute tasks as far more daunting than one 60-minute job. If you’re anything like me, it’s when you aren’t able to complete any given task to its perfect result that you tend to procrastinate... I’ll just do this little thing before I get to that really big thing that isn’t as much fun.
Sure, I’m obsessed with that list. But I’m constantly revising, re-prioritizing. It’s my way of managing everything in the day. Somehow I try to juggle several things simultaneously, to varying degrees of success. At any given point, I could have my head wrapped around researching some obscure food additive, while also working on an overdue writing project, while also trying to make a new inventory list, all while working on tonight’s service, not to mention the special order cake for the table that just sat down. All the while, in the back of my head I’m thinking about what I might make for dinner once I eventually get home. The trick is to keep from being a scatterbrain, to avoid the less important stuff overtaking the stuff you have to do.
It’s the daily discipline that matters, the everyday putting things in the right order. And then it’s important not to put unnecessary pressure on yourself. Breaking things up into small chunks that are easier to chew is crucial. And the right perspective helps, arranging it all so that the really important things get done first, so the secondary things become the reward. It’s easy to feel like Sisyphus, pushing uphill everyday, never feeling like you’re getting anywhere. There is a monotony in the static checklist we tick through everyday, and it's hard to be inspired by the same old thing. But I try put a positive spin on not getting everything done- the 'wishlist' just gives me something to look forward to tomorrow! It’s a balance between 'seizing the day' and putting things off for the future.
I like being busy. I like chasing opportunities and experience. I like the built-in idea that being a chef means being a lifelong student, pursuing a limitless field of knowledge and technique. I like that there are risks and that every plate represents the result of a great deal of trial and error. I like the fact that in this business there is always something to strive for. It can get frustrating sometimes, feeling like so much is going on in the world that we just can't keep up. But that's the excitement.
I like the idea of too many buttons and not enough holes.
