One small trip can take up far more of the day than its clock time suggests. Getting ready, travelling, waiting and coming home use the available energy, and the rest of the day becomes recovery time.
- going to the post office and cancelling the plan you had afterward
- needing the afternoon quiet after a short morning appointment
- planning nothing else on a day that includes collecting a prescription
- returning from one shop and sitting in the car before you can go inside
Looks vs reality
The same Experience can look very different from the outside than it feels on the inside.
"It'll only take five minutes!"
Those 'five minutes' don't include the two hours of mental prep, finding the keys, navigating traffic, dealing with the bright lights, and the two hours of recovery afterward.
"You only did *one* thing today?"
Yes, and that one thing was an epic saga of executive function, sensory management, and social navigation. I am completely spent, but I did it.
"Why'd you put that off all day?"
I wasn't putting it off; I was gathering spoons, waiting for a quiet moment, and mentally mapping every step to minimize the potential for overwhelm.
"While you're out, can you also...?"
My brain budgeted exactly enough energy for this one mission. Adding another stop would crash the entire system. This is a solo flight, not a connecting one.
"You seem so tired now. Was it really that bad?"
The errand itself was fine, but my nervous system paid the price in sensory overload and decision fatigue. Now I need to go lie down in a dark room.
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