I seemed to have developed a slipper issue.

My youngest child hides them every chance she gets. I spend much of my day hunting for them as she revels in her cleverness.

For a while, this scenario replaced my days of corporate pressure and deadlines. It has been just over a year since my employer of 13 years said goodbye to several hundred of my friends and me. Two months after I lost my job, I decided to launch my own home business helping small and medium businesses communicate more effectively. I also started business development for an IT start-up business that I’m hoping to finally launch next month. It has been a crazy year of balancing kids and clients.

Because of finances and my personal desire to be with my kids, I decided against childcare. I constantly struggled with balance and trying to fit my new life into an 8 to 5 mould. It just didn’t work and it was causing so much stress for everyone. One day I speed dialled my mother and neighbour at least 60 times because I wasn’t going to be able to make it in time to meet the school bus. I couldn’t reach anyone. I knew that my mom-friends at the bus stop would be fighting over taking my girls if I didn’t show, but I was still panicked beyond belief. I felt so out of control.

It was at this time that I came up with a new plan. Though far from perfected, I developed a new strategy based on my mantra “1440”. There are 1440 minutes in each day. Each one of them has infinite potential to please my husband, my kids, my clients... or even me. Yeah – I said it – me!

This realization set me free. I can make a client just as happy at 10 p.m. on a Sunday night as I can at 3 p.m. on a crazy Monday when the kids want snacks and need homework help. I can choose which minutes of each day can be devoted to whom. I don’t need to be like anyone else. I’m my own business and I can do things my way. I’m a goddess of time management. I can be where I want – when I want... well as long as I make it to the bus stop on time.

That being said, I still can’t seem to keep track of my slippers but I guess there could be worse things than sticking to my kitchen floor while I swill my second pot of coffee. That’s an issue for another day.