The List

A great discovery does not issue from a scientist brain ready-made like Minerva springing fully armed from Jupiter's head; it is the fruit of an accumulation of preliminary work.

Marie Curie

Similar to moms everywhere, I lead I very busy life with various roles. On any given day I transition from being a wife, mother, daughter, employee, friend, sister,cousin etc. Some days, I am so exhausted that my brain goes on strike and refuse to work anymore. Its amazing to know just how many people are trying to control my time. This is not a deliberate control: but takes the form of soliciting assistance or receiving companionship. I experience extreme stress just trying to maintain a modicum of sanity. There is so much to do and so little time.


For a long time I have toyed with the idea of making a list of all the things that I do so that I could reorganize my schedule. A few days ago I finally made the list. The result was a huge job description that would require the services of a small army to complete all of the tasks. I was completely blown away. I know that I did a lot of stuff; yet I had no idea I did that much. No wonder I was always in a state of stress!


Strangely enough I felt a sense of relief because this list was proof that I was not overreacting about my high level of exhaustion. I had spent so many years berating myself for not being good enough; of course not, I was overloaded. On a more serious note, this list was a wake up call for me to consciously make some lifestyle changes. From now on I have to hone my skills at delegating and constructive procrastination. More importantly, I will create more white space on my calendar.

Utopia Moment - I am taking back my power from all the sources to which it has been dispersed. This is not an attempt to be selfish or insular but to become more focused. I have learnt that I cannot control time but I can control my energy.