Brilliant! It’s true for every body not only moms…
Nothing is easy anymore and I got to the same conclusion in my personal life and professional life as well… choosing and having a simple system of processing things…following the 3 biggies for the day and eating the large frog first…
I also have this delusion that things can be easy and I can set out for the task. I know what I'm doing. I know where I'm going. You know all the things involved in doing any task even as simple as changing a lightbulb as you stated.
Have you ever gotten up on the ladder or stepstool to change it and went to take it out and it broke ? Now you're turning the electricity off, getting pliers to remove the base of the lightbulb out of the socket and then cleaning up the mess ...you are absolutely right....
Nothing is easy !!!
So what I had to come to terms with is that OK? I'm gonna start this task or this phone call another great example that you had and I'm gonna take it slowly. I know what my expectation is and the outcome that I'd like to happen but something may not go as planned along the way, which is exactly the purpose of your article, "doing that one extra thing a day".
Being a recovering perfectionist and overachiever definitely plays a role, but it allows me to slow down and not to "overbook" myself. And if just by chance things go as planned and time allows and it's not something stressful- something else around the house where I don't have to leave or go anywhere or call anybody just something else that maybe "I wanted to do for myself"- I will do it! 😉
“I’ll inevitably get a call from school that a kid is sick, or my dog will eat some chocolate, or I’ll run over a roofing nail.” I felt this in my bones.
I’m in the process of learning how to slow down and have a similar process. Is it wisdom, burnout, menopause? All of the above? Whatever the case I’m hear for being less stressed. 👏
Our hormones falling off a cliff definitely makes us physiologically less able to multitask without overwhelm, but our life experiences make us realize not everything is urgent or catastrophic. Or our job!
"If a miracle occurs and I accomplish the One thing quickly and without headache, I will NOT move onto the next."
Not to add to your excellent boundary-setting list, but I hope you keep your fantastic sense of humor in a safe. It's precious.
Also (hopefully helpful but only in gest): Speaking of speaking in tongues and "My ONE THING rule has become a necessity due to the acceptance of a widely suspected and now confirmed modern truth: Nothing Is Easy (NIE)"
I can completely relate to the need for a "one thing per day" strategy. When I was working to get sober, I realized I couldn’t do it all at once. I had to strip down my days to just one priority: not drinking. Like you, I had an endless list of things I thought I should (in giant air quotes) be able to handle, but those expectations only fueled my stress and temptation. By narrowing my focus to a single goal each day, I was able to take control, bit by bit, without feeling overwhelmed.
That singular focus became my anchor. Whether it was choosing to go to a meeting, reach out to someone for support, or simply get through the day without drinking, I knew that each choice would add up over time. And just like your approach with family and responsibilities, learning to prioritize—and say no to extras—was essential to making real progress (and to rebuilding who I was and am).
I love this, because at a core level, you’re right, all the supposed “easy things” somehow are not. Plus, all your examples are the kinds of tasks I absolutely hate doing.
One of the things I’ve really been struggling with lately is time and how it appears to shrink and expand randomly (though it’s now mostly shrinking for me in these perimenopause days). Add in the brain fog and difficulty concentrating, and I never quite accomplish as much as I think I ought to be able to in a day. Maybe scaling back to one thing is the answer.
Letting myself off the hook has done wonders for my stress level. And I think time magically evaporates because of tech. On days I don’t touch my devices, I “find” time.
Bony shrapnel had me giggling. I remember those days! And you’re right, NIE! Good for you for standing up for yourself and for teaching your family to respect what you do.
Love this 👍🥰
Ha ha…that was good, really good. 😊
I restacked it
Thank you!
Thank you so much. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
That was a comedic piece extraordinaire, my friend! Kudos! 😊
❤️
Brilliant! It’s true for every body not only moms…
Nothing is easy anymore and I got to the same conclusion in my personal life and professional life as well… choosing and having a simple system of processing things…following the 3 biggies for the day and eating the large frog first…
Yes, eating the frog is key!!
I feel you!! I am also in the peri-meno boat. Lack of sleep = not much getting done.
Hot angry zombieland!!
Nice way to put it! One thing I haven't dealt with too much is hot flashes. Once for about 3 weeks I had them. They may still be on their way!
Mine were like that. I had them and then I didn’t. And I was like, ok, survived!!
Then…
They really showed up.
No bueno.
I hope you don’t suffer the same fate!
We shall see… I will survive this! hehhe
Andrea, I totally get this!
I also have this delusion that things can be easy and I can set out for the task. I know what I'm doing. I know where I'm going. You know all the things involved in doing any task even as simple as changing a lightbulb as you stated.
Have you ever gotten up on the ladder or stepstool to change it and went to take it out and it broke ? Now you're turning the electricity off, getting pliers to remove the base of the lightbulb out of the socket and then cleaning up the mess ...you are absolutely right....
Nothing is easy !!!
So what I had to come to terms with is that OK? I'm gonna start this task or this phone call another great example that you had and I'm gonna take it slowly. I know what my expectation is and the outcome that I'd like to happen but something may not go as planned along the way, which is exactly the purpose of your article, "doing that one extra thing a day".
Being a recovering perfectionist and overachiever definitely plays a role, but it allows me to slow down and not to "overbook" myself. And if just by chance things go as planned and time allows and it's not something stressful- something else around the house where I don't have to leave or go anywhere or call anybody just something else that maybe "I wanted to do for myself"- I will do it! 😉
PRECISELY!!!!
“I’ll inevitably get a call from school that a kid is sick, or my dog will eat some chocolate, or I’ll run over a roofing nail.” I felt this in my bones.
I’m in the process of learning how to slow down and have a similar process. Is it wisdom, burnout, menopause? All of the above? Whatever the case I’m hear for being less stressed. 👏
I think all of the above.
Our hormones falling off a cliff definitely makes us physiologically less able to multitask without overwhelm, but our life experiences make us realize not everything is urgent or catastrophic. Or our job!
"If a miracle occurs and I accomplish the One thing quickly and without headache, I will NOT move onto the next."
Not to add to your excellent boundary-setting list, but I hope you keep your fantastic sense of humor in a safe. It's precious.
Also (hopefully helpful but only in gest): Speaking of speaking in tongues and "My ONE THING rule has become a necessity due to the acceptance of a widely suspected and now confirmed modern truth: Nothing Is Easy (NIE)"
NIE in Dutch means NOT
NIE in German means NEVER
NIE in Greek means NEVER or NO
NIE in Swedish means NEVER or NO
And...EIN in German means ONE
Thank you, Fritz!!
You’re making me sound far more brilliant than I am and I love you for it!!
(And if not for humor, I’d be sunk.)
I can completely relate to the need for a "one thing per day" strategy. When I was working to get sober, I realized I couldn’t do it all at once. I had to strip down my days to just one priority: not drinking. Like you, I had an endless list of things I thought I should (in giant air quotes) be able to handle, but those expectations only fueled my stress and temptation. By narrowing my focus to a single goal each day, I was able to take control, bit by bit, without feeling overwhelmed.
That singular focus became my anchor. Whether it was choosing to go to a meeting, reach out to someone for support, or simply get through the day without drinking, I knew that each choice would add up over time. And just like your approach with family and responsibilities, learning to prioritize—and say no to extras—was essential to making real progress (and to rebuilding who I was and am).
Kudos to you for finding what worked to get yourself to a better place!
One thing a day eventually becomes a process that starts with a big glass of prune juice.
"Any call to an insurance company is less preferable to me than a pap smear while getting a bikini wax." I feel so seen.
Hahahaha. It’s really an understatement. Is there worse torture? I say no.
I love this, because at a core level, you’re right, all the supposed “easy things” somehow are not. Plus, all your examples are the kinds of tasks I absolutely hate doing.
One of the things I’ve really been struggling with lately is time and how it appears to shrink and expand randomly (though it’s now mostly shrinking for me in these perimenopause days). Add in the brain fog and difficulty concentrating, and I never quite accomplish as much as I think I ought to be able to in a day. Maybe scaling back to one thing is the answer.
Letting myself off the hook has done wonders for my stress level. And I think time magically evaporates because of tech. On days I don’t touch my devices, I “find” time.
Bony shrapnel had me giggling. I remember those days! And you’re right, NIE! Good for you for standing up for yourself and for teaching your family to respect what you do.
Lol! Thanks, Brenda!!
Love this! One thing done well is better than several things done half-way!
Definitely!
This is GENIUS.
Thanks, Melissa!!
Thank you 😊 for sharing. Thank you😊 for caring. Thank you for being you.
Always, Gary! 😘😘