We are entering week six of the new year and I’m looking back and thinking I’m already not managing ‘things’ as I set out to in the beginning of the year. I’m again rushing to drop the kids at school on time, losing my temper when the lunch boxes return home untouched (all the money wasted in organic vegetables!), stretching myself thin with work, not exercising as much as I wanted, not writing as often either. All the same things I was complaining about last year.

This year I also wanted to get more involved in the community, do more fun things with the kids, do more fun things with the husband without the kids, see my friends more… but as usual I continue to ignore the fact that each day only has 1440 minutes. Somehow I think I’ll be able to fit in just this one more activity in the day. Well, this year we have an extra 24 hours so maybe in 2016 it will be possible… nah!

No wonder I’m often running late – I always try to do one more thing just before I leave the house. When I picture this in my mind I see this manic woman with a strangling handbag hanging around her neck as she bends down and stretches her arms trying to squeeze the last dirt plates into the dishwasher so the dishes will be clean when she returns for dinner. Comical but not ha-ha funny.

So, today, Sunday, a day my do to list is as long as it’s in the weekdays, I took a break to reflect (we’ll have scrambled eggs for dinner). I’m not going to try to replicate the habits of the world’s most effective people or try to relish the power of positive thinking to change my busy life. The keywords for me this year are going to be ‘priority’ and ‘contentment.’ I know I have to do less and I’ll try to find more contentment in doing less – I just don’t have this ‘less’ figured out just yet. But that’s fine, although I’m not managing life like the gurus recommend, I’m still managing it with laughter – at least most days. I’m almost managing.