How Adding a Baby Goat and a Housewarming Party to a Full Schedule Makes Me More Efficient

I once read an article by a writer who was a stay at home dad for a young child. The article was about how having the constant care of his child actually made hime a better writer by forcing him to focus, down and dirty, and stop indulging all the white space of his writing process.

So, that. I knew I wanted to create balance in my life now that we have a home and are staying in one place to do our consensus work. My usual work pattern was feast or famine, to throw myself into a relentless 24/7 of thinking about work, doing work, traveling to work, phoning about work, and on. I don’t toss out eating, but goodbye to working my locks, sex, friends and fun.

Add to the mix that I struggle with fatigue. I have my good days and bad days. But I push through. So work.

Soon after arriving in Chico, California, our networking bore fruit and suddenly we’re in the whirlwind of meetings, phone calls, pamphlet writing, workshop scheduling and chronic exhaustion, all without an income.

So, it seems like this is not the best time to add an optional event, our housewarming party, or an optional family member, like a baby goat. But balance. And just like that writer dad with a child to prioritize, I find myself, within the limits of my energy, organizing myself and getting to the nitty gritty of what needs doing. And I’m happier because, well, goat and party!