Time Crunch...Avoiding the Falling Piano

We all have that day or week that events conspire to swamp us all at once: all the deadlines sync, all the hormones crash, everyone needs a piece of our time, the house is a wreck, we have no clean clothes, and to top it off, there's nothing to eat but canned soup and Ramen noodles. At this point I turn to my husband and say, "Idonwanna!" in a whinny two-year-old voice. He smiles and hugs me and for a moment it all goes away.

But I still have to deal with it.

For me, it all comes down to revising my life down to the essentials: what MUST be done and in what order. Once I make my list I start to feel better about the mountain of work ahead. With two newsletters, 650 kids to test, 30 total miles to run, four sets of submissions for four publications due, a night class to prep for on Thursday and the aforementioned laundry, dishes, and meals, I'm a little panicked about this week. Plus, I have some great ideas prepped for my novel and I want to finish the first draft as soon as I can, but when can I fit that in? What do I give up? My writing? The laundry and dishes?

I keep forgetting living well isn't all or nothing. I don't have to throw up my hands and surrender the entire week of anything. Instead, I should focus on each day and do what I can then forgive myself the rest. A body can only do what a body can do.

So, deep breath, list out, baskets of laundry ready to go, Garmin charging for my next run, notes for my stories sitting next to my computer, research for Thursday's class at the ready. Zen the days efficiently, Cannon. Smile and enjoy the journey. Pianos don't fall from the sky every day. And when they do, they make for great stories to tell later.