# [[Systems Build in Calm Are Tested in Storms]] ###### March 6, 2025 I'm back after a long journey through the land of wombats and wallabies. On the road, I read extensively and collected ideas to fuel my writing in 2025. One of the most inspiring things I read was Sonya Supposedly's essay on the struggles of writing as a parent.[^1] It helped me to identify what I often fight with as "Task Triage Paralysis" and offered a healthier alternative: doing the obvious next thing. This hit me hard, even out of context, and "doing the obvious next thing" became my motivational framing for a new year of doing stuff, also writing. Then something else happened: in February 2025, my partner and I became caregivers to a little child. And suddenly, Sonya's essay gained unexpected literal relevance. Citing it directly, this is what is happening in my life right now: > *I thought I knew my capacity until motherhood broke all my previous containers. Now I pour myself into shapes I never imagined, and somehow there is always enough. Still, I often fear there won't be. But I am expansive, flowing into every corner that needs to be filled. I follow gravity. I do the obvious next thing.* [^1] They say parenthood raises the stakes of everything you do, amplifying upsides and downsides simultaneously. I think that is true, but figuring out the implications of it may take me a lifetime. Insights from three magic weeks with little sleep: 1. The scaffolding I built into my life feels mission critical now - which makes me realize it wasn’t essential, but a hobby before. 2. Complex tagging systems are unsustainable, voice-to-text is a life saver. 3. Work expands to fill the time available.[^2] I am still optimistic this works both ways. 4. As a parent, writing and other non-necessary endeavors require embracing chaos and honesty. Doing the next obvious thing instead of forever triaging tasks seemed like a promising take on productivity. Since a child entered my life, it’s a no-brainer. Every second counts. [^1]: [Do the Obvious Next Thing (Sonya Supposedly)](https://www.sonyasupposedly.com/do-the-obvious-next-thing/) [^2]: see [Parkinson's law](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson%27s_law)