Each year at our family reunion, we enjoy a newsletter with updates from each family member. Mostly, people talk about vacations they have taken, new jobs, retirements, the usual suspects. One person’s news this year consisted of the fact that she is retired and spends her days watching tv and playing games on her laptop. (No judgment here! Just stating a fact.)

Watching TV. Playing games on her laptop.

Now, I watch my share (or probably more than my share) of Netflix. And I do enjoy me some Toon Blast pretty much every day. But that description strikes me as a life of pretty much leisure time, and even though I do those same activities, I don’t see my life as having much leisure time. As a matter of fact, I’m busy, busy, busy. All. The. Time.

I read these things about downtime, the value of relaxation and recreation, taking a “sabbath” day. Maybe it’s time to reread some of those things. I love my life — my wonderful family, my job, the opportunity to blog, my friends, podcasts, books, movies.

Of course there are seasons in our lives. But aren’t seasons supposed to change? What would we miss out on if we had endless summer? Or unending winter?

I’ve let this post simmer for a couple of days because my posts tend to be about lessons I have learned, not so much about things I am in the middle of. I’m going to have to chalk this one up to being mid-situation, pre-resolution.

The one thing I have found that helps is to take a piece of paper and write down all the tasks that come into my mind. Once I get them out of my head and onto paper my brain seems to settle down. And while they are in my brain, everything seems urgent and the tasks seem unending. When I write them down, voila, there are still plenty and some of them are urgent, but everything seems a bit more manageable.

While making a list addresses the practical aspect, I still haven’t even touched what it would mean to act as if I have all the time I need, that relaxing and leisure time are not only justifiable but even essential. My housekeeping needs aren’t going away any time soon. Opportunities to work with and teach Kepler are myriad and have the potential for long-term impact.

All I know right now is the sheer volume of details is getting to me. While I can’t imagine ever wanting to spend my days playing games and watching tv (still no judgement), a less frenetic pace does have a certain appeal. In keeping with my philosophy, it’s time to look for something to move toward, some non-frenetic thing that I want to go toward. What is that for you? What tips do you have for a busy, working mom and wife to be something other than a perpetual motion machine?

As always, thanks for reading.

Joyfully,

Siouxsie