When Life Gives You Mimosas: A Workaholic’s Guide to Sipping on Surprises


Once upon a time, in a land where Google Calendars reign and Post-its are the currency, there lived a certified workaholic. Me. My daily schedule was so meticulously packed that a can of sardines would look at it and say, “Whoa, girl, you need to chill.”Life was in perfect rhythm — everything had its place and time. Until… you know, those sneaky little surprises life loves to toss in our path like banana peels on a Mario Kart track.One such surprise came in the form of an impromptu brunch invitation from a friend eager to dish about her intriguing new coworker.When I walked into the café the next morning, my heart started racing like a caffeinated hamster on a wheel. The symphony of my day had hit a sour note. Amid the hum of friendly conversation and the aroma of fresh coffee, I found myself mentally sprinting through tasks, perpetually in the next moment, never in the present.Have you ever tried to enjoy a mimosa while mentally drafting an email? Not exactly the epitome of relaxation, let me tell you.The 5-minute rule: When an unexpected task or event pops up, I take a deep breath and give myself 5 minutes to assess the situation. Do I really need to do this now? Is there room to shuffle my schedule? Is the sky going to fall if I push that meeting to tomorrow? Most often, it won’t.Embrace the power of ‘No’: This was a tough one. Saying ‘No’ felt like turning down a free trip to Paris. But over time, I realized that each ‘No’ was a ‘Yes’ to something else — like quality time with friends, or a chance to refuel my energy.