As a Type A woman, I'm aware of how exhausting I am to others.
Maybe one day I'll figure out how to motivate people, instead of stressing them out. But first, I need to get new glasses, work on my e-book, get to the gym, prep meals for the week, re-organize my closet for spring and sell more crap on eBay.
Being Type A means I'm super focused and practically addicted to accomplishing goals. I have tons of hobbies and a rockin' resume to boot, but that's just the silver lining part.
When I tell people about the projects I'm working on, they either ask how I have time or express a desire to do the same. For the average Type A person, productivity isn't really a choice. We're just wired to keep busy.
Here are the struggles that every Type A person knows to be true.
1. Nothing pisses you off more than other people's lateness.
Being late is equivalent to throwing a drink in the face of a Type A person. It's a straight-up insult. How some people struggle to do realistic time math is beyond me.
In college, I used to tell my friend I was picking her up 15 minutes earlier than the time I actually planned on arriving.
2. Your friends tell you to relax when all you want to do is be productive.
Weekends don't mean relaxing for Type A people. Two whole days away from the daily grind involves filling that time with stuff to do. I guarantee it's not binge-watching TV-- unless that's on the to-do list, of course.
When people tell me to chill, I feel like they're productivity-shaming me.
3. Relaxing is hard work.
Watching TV after work is challenging because all I want to do is multitask. Catching up on shows must involve something productive, like cooking, straightening my hair, folding laundry or cleaning.
To be honest, sitting down doing nothing feels weird.
4. There's something in your life that's organized by color or alphabetical order.
Organizing is therapy. When things in your life are in order, all is good with the world.
People might judge a Type A person for being "OCD" about their calendars, closets, books or whatever else. To clarify, loving organization isn't an OCD thing. It just feels good, OK?
5. Cleaning is a necessity, not a chore.
I clean my kitchen three times a day. It's not because it's spectacularly dirty, just because I want to.
For a Type A person, washing dishes is the best time to zone out. Sometimes, we just need to give our over-worked brains a break.
6. You're forever drowning in lists.
Making lists feels amazing, but there's definitely a limit to how many you can have at any given time. Type A people are probably guilty of going way past this limit. I make lists everywhere. I have some in a journal, on my phone and written on little sticky notes.
I also keep a list on a chalkboard in my apartment.
7. You've been called an impatient, bossy, controlling, competitive, overachieving perfectionist.
Whenever someone calls me one of these adjectives, I just roll my eyes.
Every Type A person on the planet has been called one or more of these things by people who just don't understand. And that's OK. F*ck the haters.
8. Trusting other people is really hard.
We have a hard time relying on others because we want things done our way, as fast as possible.
My boyfriend calls me a “steamroller” because I don't really trust him when it comes to logistics. But, he loves me regardless.
9. Everything is a competition.
Type A people love competition. On the outside, it can seem intense, but for us it just makes everything more fun.
Being innately competitive makes jealousy a problem too. We want to be the best all the time.
10. The idea of wasting time is the stuff of nightmares.
Cat videos and quizzes? No thanks. Being put on hold? No time for that.
If anything seems like a waste of time, Type A people will steer clear of it. There are items on our lists to be crossed off.
11. No one can keep up with you.
When making plans, Type A people will just rattle off everything they want to do. If my friends don't want to work out with me, get a quick pedicure and then have dinner, I'll do it alone.
Slowing down and doing less to enjoy time with friends is always a compromise.
12. Stress is not your friend.
Even just writing about how hypersensitive Type A people are to stress stresses me out. Type A people are more likely to have heart disease and higher blood pressure.
13. In relationships, you can't just “let things happen.”
When it comes to dating, Type A people want to know where it's going and exactly how long it will take to get there.
Your partner says he or she hopes to get married at age 30? If you're a type A person, you've already done the math of how long you have to date this person before getting engaged.
14. Sometimes it's hard to take a step back from work.
It can be hard to trade time spent on work for time spent on relationships. Type A people often alienate themselves a little bit because they'll often choose the latest project over dates and time with friends.
15. If you don't feel stressed, there must be something wrong.
Ever get that sinking feeling like you forgot something? That's what not being stressed out feels like to a Type A person. If I have nothing on my to-do list, I must be f*cking up somewhere.
In the end, it's important to accept the struggles that go along with being Type A. Being impatient will never be my cutest quality, but I have plenty of people in my life who will still love me no matter how many times I yell at them for being late.
