This week, my Monday turned a little chaotic. Mostly, I tried to do too many things at one time. But a good portion of the frenzy was related to computer problems! I am good with daily computer tasks, but on Monday, I was out of my element!

Earlier in the day, I sat at the bookstore where I had a meeting and then did some writing. I made great progress until my laptop battery died. Thankfully, I had just saved my file.

No problem!

Then, when I returned home, I plugged in the battery and turned it on. This time, it took forever to load and made strange noises. I’ve noticed it overworking the last few months, so when this happened, I panicked and pushed a million buttons.

Yeah…That only made things worse!

I tried the good ol’ three-finger salute (Ctrl+Alt+Del) in order to stop the laptop from doing lengthy updates. I rebooted it hoping that would help. Nope!

Running downstairs, I grabbed my external hard drive to back up my laptop in case it crashed. I had been meaning to do it for awhile anyway… I did what I could, but had a few questions for my brother. After a 45 minute phone conversation, we discussed a temporary fix. Still, transferring my files took several hours!

Of course, this all happened while I was watering my new trees and making dinner! I ran back and forth outside, to the kitchen, and then to my laptop in the living room.

Think chicken…head nowhere to be found. 🙂

I kept forgetting to check the water… and left the hamburgers until they were well-done. Soon, I threw together a plate for Lydia and sat with her for a few minutes. But I had already eaten my hamburger while running around the house and yard!

After dinner, Lydia played outside. I checked on her every few minutes when running out to move the water hose. Later, I walked her across the street to play with those neighbors.

Finally, with everything else going on, I decided to skip a webinar I wanted to attend when Lydia went to bed. I realized I could catch up during a replay session later in the week.

Eventually, everything calmed down. After I put Lydia to bed, I could finally think clearly.

Then, I heard a little voice from down the hall. Normally, it says, “Mom, can I have some water?!” or “Mom, I need to tell you something!”

But, on Monday night, I heard, “Mom can you please cuddle with me?”

Given my recent parenting challenges, I’m thankful I listened. Instantly, I thought: Everything else is just chaos, but this moment with Lydia is what really matters. I spent a few minutes with her, thankful for the opportunity to connect.

Then, in the calm, I thought of a handy solution for future reference….because life and technology, challenges will always “pop up” again! (pun intended!)

In the midst of overwhelming chaos, think Ctrl+Alt+Del.

Usually, that combination brings up the Task Manager. In real life, this is like my schedule—everything that is going on or needs to be done.

Ctrl: What part of the mess can I actually control? What are the things only I can do? I may not be able to handle the external problem on my own, but I can control my attitude. Pray for help and breathe in God’s grace.

Alt: Is there a simple solution or a better alternative? What are the tasks someone else can do? Don’t neglect to ask for help or take a small break to get clarity.

Del: What can be delayed or deleted altogether? What are the most important priorities? Who else will benefit from making some changes? For instance, I can catch up with the webinar later, but kid moments and cuddling opportunities won’t last forever. Release self-defeating thoughts or feelings.

A few other pointers:

Back up. Consider taking a step back to see the big picture. Go back to God and ask for His perspective. Let Him handle all your frustrations. Give Him your concerns because He really cares. (1 Peter 5:7)

Reboot. Let God transform Your thinking and show you the best path. Sometimes, sleep is the best choice. Things usually look better in the morning. (Romans 12:2, Psalm 143:8)

Restore. If you let Him lead, God can restore all things. Stay present with Him and return to peace as quickly as possible. Do whatever it takes to remain there! (Philippians 4:7)

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God, thanks for Your ever-present help! Thanks for helping us prioritize what is most important. Help us remember to bring all our concerns to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Questions: Do you consider yourself a tech-savvy person? Do you prefer a PC or Mac?