I'm an inherently disorganized person, but I manage to get a lot of things done. It really is as simple--and challenging--as finding time.

There is no balance to be had in life. We cannot plan, predict, or organize our lives so that we create the time we need, when we need it. Something always interrupts us; there is always a need to shift priorities, or things just take a lot longer than we planned. So I've come to think of all time as precious opportunity and to ask myself, what can I do with this moment I have now?

A coworker remarked this morning how she just didn't have time to get into facebook, twitter, blogging, etc. I had emailed everyone that they might like to follow me on twitter. And when people find this blog, or my other blog, WestwoodBlog, or they see the books I've read and reviewed, they are incredulous, especially given that I have 3 kids under 4 at home. But I find little bits of time here and there...

On the train to work--once I had an internet-capable phone, I found I could do so much in 20 minutes--checking twitter, facebook, sending some short emails on work related stuff, while I read a book or sketch out ideas for another project. WestwoodBlog was designed in about half an hour on the train. (Of course it took a lot longer than that to implement, but the core idea and commitment to make it happen was something I sketched out furiously in a notebook as the train sat delayed due to some problem.)

It is harder to do the big stuff. But the big stuff is made up of little stuff. I have a vision of what I want in my life and when I have extra time, I chip away at the broad parameters of the "next step."

There are limitations and compromises...to compare this to running, I know can't sign up for a marathon given my current schedule because I cannot commit 5 days a week to running. But I can do 10Ks and 7.5 milers and keep the joy of running alive until I'm able to prioritize that kind of training regime again.

My blog...I have some ideas of how to take it to the next level...but for now, it needs to be "what can I do today?" Lately I think what I can do is engage with twitter and let my network and knowledge continue to expand until I find the next incremental leap I can make...to have some patience and be ready for opportunity.

Another way to think about life these days is to compare it to working on a large document. I don't have the table of contents written, just a theme. And if I tried to write the outline out, I'd get lost in the details. So instead, I write short chapters and save often.