People that can do it all- How do they do it?

[MaybeBabyMustache]

I know this will never be me. I do not have a "career" - I have a job so I can pay my bills and save for the future. While I mostly enjoy what I do, I hate the deadlines imposed by someone else without any thought to my workload or present project timelines. 2 kids is enough to keep me stressed with making sure everything is getting done. Seriously, it is like trying to herd butterflies. Can't imagine a whole house full of kids. I am an introvert and a worrier. This means I worry over if I have said too much/the wrong thing/wasn't clear enough and need time alone/quiet to recharge. Having routines and schedules certainly helps me a lot but I am BURNT by the time my youngest is tucked into bed. Having to stand in the hallway to watch him brush his teeth is pure and utter torture because I have simply hit my daily threshold of doing for others and my patience is gone.

The hours between getting home after picking up kids and putting them to bed are enough to make me nuts. The list of items that have to be reviewed/repacked/cleaned/signed while also cooking/cleaning/feeding/bathing/homeworking with kids is exhausting. Perhaps it is easier for an extrovert that enjoys busy time and people always being around.

While there are people that can "do it all" in some public light, many of them struggle but don't share that information. They only share the successful portions of their story. Every decision is about choices.

Don't know how old your kids are, but I definitely felt more like that when my kids were younger (they are 13 months apart). Now, at almost 14 & 15, there is still plenty to do, but if I drop the ball one night due to being tapped out from others things, they can successfully get themselves to bed. Do they brush their teeth? They say so, but unclear, and on certain nights....I prioritize. :-)

[StarBright]

I was thinking about this thread as I chunked through to-dos this morning and had two more thoughts:

• Efficient people often take YEARS to develop the habits and systems that help them get so much stuff done. My current life is almost 20 years of tweaking habits and tools; discarding what doesn't work and trying new things periodically.
• Perfect can't be the enemy of good. I work with a guy who tries to come up with the most elegant solution for everything - he rarely finishes anything! I may not always be the best, but I never miss a real deadline. There are things that matter to me and I strive for perfection in those. There are other things that I am indifferent to (basically anything domestic), I have systems for them and usually accomplish 60-80% on a given month, but because I keep to it regularly, I still end up looking like I get it "all" done.

[MaybeBabyMustache]

Both are great points that I also find to be true, @StarBright

[Metalcat]

I was thinking about this thread as I chunked through to-dos this morning and had two more thoughts:

• Efficient people often take YEARS to develop the habits and systems that help them get so much stuff done. My current life is almost 20 years of tweaking habits and tools; discarding what doesn't work and trying new things periodically.
• Perfect can't be the enemy of good. I work with a guy who tries to come up with the most elegant solution for everything - he rarely finishes anything! I may not always be the best, but I never miss a real deadline. There are things that matter to me and I strive for perfection in those. There are other things that I am indifferent to (basically anything domestic), I have systems for them and usually accomplish 60-80% on a given month, but because I keep to it regularly, I still end up looking like I get it "all" done.

Not only does it take years to refine systems, but most of the people I know who truly have spectacular balance have a ton of autonomy at work, and that can take years of brutal sweat equity to acquire, along with developing systems.