There's Too Much On My Plate and I Can't Eat It All

The phrase "too much on my plate" is widely used, but I didn't have a real grasp of its meaning until this morning. Coming back from vacation, I have multiple "to do" lists piling up. But what I've noticed is that this is a pattern. I commit to too many things and allow myself to be distracted by phone calls or emails and before I know it, my "plate" is loaded so high and it's not only that I can't eat it all...I am so distracted by all the things around me that I can't even stop to eat what's on the plate. So, before long, the arugula starts wilting and the cheese becomes pungent.
The paradox is that I've created this massive pile on my plate. I've allowed myself to take more than I can chew. And, moving forward, it's obvious that there's some rotting vegetation that will have to be thrown out, and some things eaten before any thing else can go on.
I am so careful, for the most part, about what I eat in real life. I try to buy organic and stay away from fried foods, excess alcohol, and a lot of sweets. So why would I pile these things up on my plate? Or, metaphorically speaking, would I decide to fry a piece of chicken before putting it on my plate? (that is, making a problem or idea much more complex than it need be).
It's time I introduced a slimmer diet into my life. And the way to do this is to calm my mind and remove all these distractions. Then, perhaps, I will find a plate that is manageable.

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