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:
- Breathing - deeply occasionally - when I find the time.
- Getting dressed before noon. Most days.
- Dry shampooing my hair. At least once a week.
- Going to the toilet - alone, occasionally.
- Brushing my teeth. I will find time for this two times a day and enjoy it.
- Find a reasonably priced cleaner who I will love deeply.
- Put BB cream on my face - that's it.
- I will aim to drink a cup of tea while it's still hot. I will not re-heat said cuppa 10 times.
- Eat a meal. Regularly.
- Write a list with little empty boxes so that I can tick off already completed tasks.
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.
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