I didn’t get to write a post last week because life is just incredibly busy. I always feel like I should start my make up blogs with, “forgive me father, it has been 12 days since my last post.” That might just be leftover guilt from my own childhood. But seriously life has been busy! It seems the nights and weekends go by in a blur and still somehow my to-do list gets longer and longer.

Sometimes I think about giving up the blog to have one less thing to do in a day, but then I realize it is the only thing I have that is truly my own. It gives me time to myself and the chance to use my brain. I can often forget that I have space in my head for more than dinosaur facts and menu planning. I don’t get to connect with co-workers in an office anymore, but I really do enjoy connecting with moms from all over who “get it” that life with kids is a whole different thing. It makes the stress of parenting a little more tolerable when you know you’re not alone.

Speaking of alone time, I keep trying to focus more on scheduling time for myself in each day. It truly makes a difference, but that means my day starts at 5:30 or 6:00. My human body was not designed to be awake and functioning at that hour, but I get up and fake it til I make it anyway. It is the only time of the day that there is quiet, and a battle royale doesn’t erupt while I take a shower. Without that one hour by myself in the morning I feel like I start my day being shot out of a cannon. Which I haven’t done in real life, but I can only assume it would give me a heart attack.

Besides being so busy with the kids, and trying not to get shot out of a cannon, I have a few projects I am working on to grow my blog a bit bigger. I am hoping to offer some free guides very soon and I hope to have time to work on some even bigger projects to announce in the future. If I got paid just for the ideas in my head I’d never have to work again. But this all requires being organized and proficient which can often tip off my need for perfection and feeling productive.  That’s how I used to love my life to feel: productive. Ticking off items on my to-do list was pure bliss.

After practicing letting go and minimizing my need for perfection, I kind of like when I have nothing to do. I like not having to get up and rush. The luxurious feeling of sleeping in until 7:00 a.m. has won out a few times this week (which I regret after the heart attack begins). Last week I finished an amazing book and over the weekend I went out with friends. Sorry dear readers but that meant you took a backseat for the week. I hope there’s no hard feelings! Just trying to practice what I preach. Let go and take time to live the less than perfect life.

So now I feel like I’ve experienced both worlds, the struggle to be perfect and the struggle to do less. It’s time to find the balance. I think I’ll schedule that for tomorrow. Or maybe the next day. Eh, maybe next week. Whatever, I’ll figure it out eventually.

Until next week, may you all have time to do nothing!

The Whatever Mom is a twin mom learning to let go of perfection. She shares her real life struggles with parenting through her blog and contributes her time and talents as a writer to Hudson Valley Parent and Masshole Mommy. When she isn’t writing you can find her chugging coffee, folding laundry and not judging other parents. Don’t forget to subscribe via email so you never miss a blog post again! You can also find her work featured on Mamapedia 

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22 Comments on This Overachiever Is Learning to Slack Off

  1. I know what you mean when life gets busy other things get put on the back burner. I feel guilty but then again I shouldn’t because that’s part of life is doing things that keep you busy .

  2. I am forever putting things behind and getting behind on so many things. I really need to work on that!

  3. Amen, sister! My kid is grown, but I am still in the mode of “doing” all I can to make her life better! I used to think my life would get easier, but really, it is just different!

  4. I can totally relate to your entire post. I feel bad when I miss a post. I am also being pulled in a million different directions. I need to start getting up early so I can get some me time in.

  5. Kids can keep you busy most of the time. When my little Witches go to bed at 18;30, I feel so relaxed and then think, right lets get blogging. It none stop so I know how you feel xx

  6. I really need to find a way to wake up before my kiddos to get things done that I need to but I’m not a morning person at all.

  7. You deserve to slack off a little bit! 🙂 But when I don’t post for a while, I feel the same way, like “sorry I haven’t posted in a while”

  8. Those types of breaks are the best breaks. Sometimes you need a little time to just forget about all the overachieving and slow down!

  9. I have always been a bit of an over achiever but it can sometimes do more harm than good. Learning when it’s time to take a break is so important.

  10. I can so relate to this article! As a type a over achiever, it is HARD to slack off! But really we all need to to reset and unwind!

  11. Oh I relate to this post so much! Born overacheiver here and it’s a struggle when I realize I’ve bitten off more than I can chew and have to delegate or admit I’m human!

  12. You are speaking my language! On a nearly daily basis I feel overwhelmed and like I’ve taken on too much (though I’d never admit of course 😉 ), so something has to give. Lately, I’ve been putting a lot of focus on my blog since that’s something that I really enjoy doing, so my house may not be as clean as I’d like, but my family is in a happy place right now and that’s all that matters! 🙂

  13. I can so relate to this post. I am the first born child, and since I was young, I was expected to excel. Can you imagine how much pressure that was on a child to have consistent A’s in school? Anything less would mean more study hours and less play time. I grew up and became an over-achiever, the queen of multitasking but yearning for days to just be totally lazy!

  14. I feel like I’ve been behind on stuff all summer! It’s been crazy and summer has only just begun!

  15. You are not alone on your thoughts. I feel like I am forever biting off more than I can chew, and find myself quickly overwhelemed. I am slowly learning to LET GO!

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