The Next Best Thing

I’ve been living on fumes these last few weeks. I’ve had student assessments to complete, reports to write, end-of-term administrivia and a long weekend. To add to the mix of craziness, my students have had health forums (hello learning about puberty) and school swimming lessons. There has been no room in my head for creativity or thinking too far ahead.

So how do I solve this? How do you solve this when life gets uncomfortably busy?

For me, I break things down and I do the next best thing. The next best thing is not always big. It’s usually just one thing. And if it’s not the best thing, it doesn’t matter. At least I’m moving.

Business

So, in business over the last few weeks, my next best thing has been engaging a business solicitor to get my legal documents organised. Some things have to be outsourced simply because I do not have the time or knowledge to complete some tasks. I am a teacher and a copyeditor/proofreader – I do not know legal things like a legal person does. I’ve teamed up with someone who knows what they are doing.

I’ve also engaged an accountant for the same reason. I do not know the tax things, the financial things like an accountant does. I cannot do without help in this area.

School

The next best thing at school has just been knocking off the next thing on my to-do list. There is no magic bullet with end-of-term school administration, although if there was, I’d be first in line to buy it. I also don’t (and can’t) look too far ahead as that would be just too overwhelming! Sometimes the only thing I can do is take each day, a day at a time. Sometimes it becomes taking one hour at a time.

Personal

The next best thing in my personal life has been to put things on hold or let things slide. Last week I went away with my husband for a long weekend while our kids were at a camp. It was fabulous but it also occurred in the middle of my report-writing time. So I let the supermarket shopping slide. There were no shopping lists for click-and-collect. I had to make do with running into the supermarket more frequently than I like, to get groceries on the way home from work. I also to let my blogging slide for a week. Did you miss me?

As I reflect on starting a business in the last 12 months, I recognise that I have added to my overall ‘busyness’. I’ve learnt that sometimes I take a step forward and make a decision to do something, and sometimes I take a step back and let a few things slide. As long as my next best thing helps make the rest of life manageable, then that’s really the definition of the ‘next best thing’. By the time you read this post, my end-of-term ‘busyness’ will nearly be over.  It’s been a short but intense season, where life becomes incredibly busy. As you read this, I’ll be preparing for the gentle slide into the winter holidays. Reading a few good books will definitely be ‘the next best thing.’