Image from Instagram @semi_rad because I love his work!!!!
I think too often about how different my grandparents’ lives were when they were 40 with kids and jobs and lives, than my own. Beyond the obvious technological differences, I believe they lived considerably different lives. Lives where there was work and there was home. Jobs and family. Chores and down time. Social time and family time. I believe there was less overlap of all of the above, and more focus when they were in each of these modes.
When my grandfather was working a call from his wife would have meant grave emergency, not a flippant, bored check in. When he got home from work, he left work at work and spent time with his wife and children. He had dates with my grandmother and other couples. He sat in “his chair” and watched the news or read the paper.
Even while I was still married and even though we made attempts to keep the children’s activities and extracurriculars yo a manageable minimum, I’ve lived this life meeting myself coming and going at every turn. Poorly multitasking. Poorly mothering. Poorly relaxing. It’s no wonder that some days I hit the proverbial wall and take two naps and give up on my todo list (with a great amount of guilt!).
How many irons do we really need in the fire??? I am a huge proponent for hard work and maximizing our social presence and self branding and activity, but at what cost??? Certainly it reduces our quality of living when we are always thinking of the next thing rather than experiencing the moment we are in.
These are my thoughts and I am curious as to yours. What are your best tips for maximizing life while also maximizing everything else????
Until next time, my friends…
Make it a great day,
Marilyn
Marilyn Horton 