Every so often, my entire world seems to flip itself upside down. It did that a few years ago, when my dad had to be admitted to the hospital. He is a complex case and required around the clock care on the best of days, so this was a lesson in creativity and managing the chaos. This isn’t the first time I’ve had to deal with this sort of thing, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. Success when the world goes crazy is important to me.

While Dad was in the hospital, and I’m running back and forth, life didn’t stop, or even slow down. My kids and family still needed things, and I still needed sleep. Activities don’t come to a screeching halt, and I still had a lot of boxes of Girl Scout Cookies in the garage that still had to be sold. Orders still have to be delivered. You name it, its happening. So, how did I survive and manage the chaos?

How do I measure “Success” in this environment? Everyone gets fed, is taken care of, and the kids do not miss any critical activities. No major balls get dropped, and everyone is safe. That is success. Here are three tips for success when your world goes crazy.

Delegate

I can’t stress the power of being able to delegate parts of your life cleanly and effectively to someone else. For me, that meant asking for help picking up GS cookies, ferrying a non-driving (but absolutely critical and valued) caregiver back and forth, and with a few other things. I have to pick my battles wisely, and do only as much as I can do.

Take Care of Yourself

For me, that means getting a full night of sleep each night. Making sure I’m eating all of my meals, staying hydrated, and getting exercise.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Things like like laundry can wait up to a certain point. There are inevitably lots of things that I won’t get done this week, but the important stuff WILL get handled.

Life doesn’t stop when the world goes crazy, so sometimes all you can do is manage the chaos.