I am just about set for maternity leave and last time I was in this predicament I had a false expectation of being able to lift my game with conversational Japanese and French – in my spare time.

Just before my having my first baby I also subscribed to bunch of free online university courses. I never logged in.

People asked what I was going to do with a whole year off and I was sure I could up-skill, organise my life and even write a novella.

Along with the excitement of my new baby I was expecting so much down time. I thought I would be free to do what I like with that big gap of work-free time called maternity leave.

This time around I am being more realistic.

Here is a list of what I am hoping to achieve during a short period of time off for maternity leave:

So that's the list. It's real and printed now and I will cross it off and feel like I've got my life in order. You can too. Podcast: How to tell the boss you’re pregnant