What's the mode of the day?

We were in the office the other day and we had a visitor pop in on us. We don't get many visitors; maybe it's the garlic in the hummus. Anyway, that's another issue for another day. We were discussing the topic of "too much." It seems to be one of our favorite topics, maybe it's because we, like you, have way too much on our plates; Too many to dos, too many bills, too many e-mails, too many appointments, too much to remember, and our lives sometimes seem to be going in too many directions.

This too-much syndrome has us craving a more streamlined way of life. If you had asked us a couple of years ago what we thought about simplifying and streamlining our lives we probably would have laughed it off to impossibility. Not anymore. Why? Because we have come to realize there are two modes in which people tend to operate. One is the C-Mode. The other is the S-Mode.

The C-Mode is described by three “C” words: Complicated —Crazy — Chaotic. This mode can be a lot of fun. It's fast, it gets your adrenaline pumping, and it can give you a sense of accomplishment. However, too much 'C' can give you a headache, ulcers, and send you into a perpetual spin of overwhelm if it's not kept in check. When you continually operate in this mode you start to see a lot of tasks failing to get accomplished. You start showing up late for appointments (or missing them altogether). You find yourself in a constant rush to get somewhere and you never enjoy the process of getting there.

On the flip side, there is the S-Mode. The S-Mode is described by three “S” Words: Simplified —Streamlined — Stress free. This mode is great. When you find yourself cruising in “S” you find yourself more relaxed, your home and your business seem to be just humming along. In the S-Mode you're not snapping at the kids, grumbling at your husband, and you actually find time for a jog along our beautiful coast or time to go to Yoga. But don't be fooled, the S-Mode does have a drawback. As we see it, too much “S” has the chance of becoming boring and true S-Mode is unrealistic. After all, how many people do you really know who are living in perpetual “S” bliss?

The truth is most of us jump between the two modes. Whenever we feel like we're living too much of the “C” life we start craving “S” and vice versa, jumping between these two modes is probably the true key to unlocking that life/work/family balance that so many of us are craving. It's very possible that true balance is how well you recognize and how aware you are of which mode you're living in and how you go about breaking the cycle of chaos or busting out of the boredom. It is possible to achieve balance between the two modes. The first step is the step you take today by becoming aware.

So. Whatever mode you might be currently living in, our only wish for you is that you're enjoying the moment.

— Heather and Mary

MomsTown Talk Radio
Where Hip Moms Click http://MomsTown.com
Heather@MomsTown.com