Worry-Wort vs. Problem Solver

While reading an interesting self-quiz the other day at Health Central, I thought: "Self, am I a Worry-Wort or am I a Problem Solver?"

As I made my way through the answers of the quiz, which basically described how Worry-Worts would handle the questions as opposed to how Problem Solvers would manage through them, I became more and more befuddled.

Yes, I worry about just about every-freaking-thing. But, the first answer (to the first question) said that people who worry tend to procrastinate. Instead of making important decisions about the things that they are worried about, they put them off. Which leads to impulsive, last-minute decisions.

I never make impulsive decisions. I tend to overthink everything. The pros and cons, the ups and downs, the dos and don'ts. All of the potential outcomes that are likely if I make one decision. All of the possible results if I choose another direction.

Maybe that's procrastinating, but, in my extremely complicated mind, I call it being prepared. Maybe I'm just making excuses for myself. But, how can a person make impulsive decisions and procrastinate at the same time?

Question #2 says, "Do you spend a long time analyzing the implications of decisions?"

Like I mentioned, I do overanalyze the "implications" of major "decisions". But, what constitutes "a long time?" Is a long time an entire day? A week? A month?

This "advice" seems to be vague and subjective. I'm just saying.

Question number three asks, "Do you put off problem solving?"

Can they get any more vague than that?

I absolutely do! You know Jay-Z said he had 99 problems...well, he's a lucky man, because I normally have an average of approximately seven hundred and thirty problems All.Of.The.Time.

So, I'll put off what I cannot accomplish at the moment and solve everything that I can. I might get five problems solved. I might resolve two hundred. The rest can wait til tomorrow. (I guess that's procrastinating.)

Okay, so Health Central's answer to Question # 2 was, "Worriers tend to avoid tackling problems." But, you see, it's not that I'm avoiding figuring out a solution to the hundreds of unresolved matters. It's that I'm so busy handling much bigger problems at the moment, the little ones can wait.

I often find myself worrying that I won't be able to solve all of the problems on my plate. I have nine kids and a man to care for, after all, and they all come along with their own problems that I need to solve. Then, there are life problems, like bills and a broken washer.

Nine times out of ten, when it rains, it pours, and I'm handling about 429 problems at the same time. I'm sure many of you can relate.

Question number seven - "Do you tend to ask others to solve problems for you?" Are you kidding me? Delegation is the key when you have a large family! I delegate problems to my husband and, sometimes, even to my children.

Like the curtain rod that the kids pulled down again. That's an easy problem to solve. Just fix it. That one, I would most likely delegate.

Unless, of course, I already did dictate - I mean, delegate - that issue to someone, weeks have passed since I asked, and the rod is still hanging from the brackets and looking all raggedy. Then, I would probably lose patience and do it myself.

The last question. Question number seven. Kills me! Here goes. "Do you prefer to put problems to the back of your mind?"

Heck yeah! There is no doubt in my mind. I would just love to put problems on the back shelf, but do you think anyone allows me to do that? I am the chief problem solver in the house!

So, apparently, according to the Health Central quiz, I am somehow one of the few people in this world who is both a worry-wort and a problem solver. I undoubtedly solve millions of problems in the span of a month, yet, throughout it all, I have the self-destructive character trait of worrying too much.

I worry that I won't solve enough problems each day. Worried I won't get everything completed that needs to be done. Worried my kids won't have their homework finished by bedtime. Worried I might have burnt dinner.

And that darn curtain is still hanging haphazardly from the rod, which is holding on for dear life to one bracket...

Oh, heck with it! I'm turning it all over to God, grabbing the wine and running a bubble bath!

Life's too short!