How do I achieve/do so much?

I actually get asked this question a lot.  Usually it is more of a rhetorical/complimentary tone rather than a true inquiry for understanding.  I have been thinking a lot about it lately because of the last person that asked me.  She is a woman that I feel accomplishes a lot and whom I respect. So here are so of the methods that I have realized upon reflection.  

I surround myself with good people.  By this I mean that I have been able to over the years build up friends and acquaintances that add positive things to my life.  My friend asked me this after I mentioned a conversation that I had at book club last week.  I believe her exact words were, "You are in a book club too?  You are superwoman".  For me this book club is extremely low maintenance.  It was started a few years ago by a couple of mutual friends that were Lit. majors in college.  Their goal was to find books that reflected this goal "seek ye out of the best books 'words of wisdom' ".  The idea of others finding books that I could read that would be uplifting and teach me wisdom appealed to me.  Over the last three years I have read over 40 books.  I would not say all of them taught me wisdom, but most of them have helped me to broaden my thinking and understand better what other people may think.  

Another method that I have is that I get involved in "high success or return" endeavors.  For me this means making a difference in the world around me.  A couple of obvious endeavors are being a mom and volunteering in the schools my kids are in.  A few not so obvious are educating myself in politics and advocating for Early Intervention.  These are areas that I initially felt inadequate in but as I have found avenues for educating myself in them, I have grown in confidence and ability.  Most of my education in politics has come from simply going to our once a month (Republican) district meeting.  During election times they have a lot of the candidates debate or talk.  They also usually go over propositions and we discuss what they mean and what they would influence.  This helps me to feel better educated when I go to the polls to vote.  In off election season, they will often teach classes about the Constitution, Bill of Rights and other such laws.  In Early Intervention I have been able to be educated in better understanding what is best practice and personally realized that families are often undervalued by themselves as to how important and able they are to support their children's needs.

I also (try to) go to bed early - 9:00 and get up early - 5:00.  This I have found works best for me.  It is hard to adjust to when I get off track, but it allows me time to prepare myself for the day before my kids get up.  I feel alert and rested when I do this.  Jeff, my husband, has to get up at this time for his work schedule, so it has the double benefit of being a sleep schedule that works well for him.  If I were to write a book on having a great marriage, it would include going to bed and getting up at the same time as your spouse.  I see that it has been a wonderful blessing for us. 

While these are not a comprehensive list, I think that surrounding myself with good people doing good things, educating myself while involving myself in my community, and getting enough sleep are a few of the more important ways that I accomplish a lot.  Most of all, I do not take on more than I can handle.  While I have always enjoyed being busy and involved in making a positive contribution, I have also learned that I can only do so much.  When I reach that limit, I let people know that I am too busy for any more.