It’s remarkable how quickly I forget things. Just a few months ago, we started our summer vacation, allowing me to dedicate more of my focus to work tasks throughout the day. Sure, the kids would still ping me throughout the day, but I was able to complete tasks large and small with ease.

School’s back in session, and I’m managing not only my to-do list, but the to-do lists of three of my children. As one child is given direction and I settle back into my project, the next arrives. It’s a truly uncomfortable feeling.

In moments like these, when my mind is constantly being distracted, I fall back onto my systems. My task list is divided into groups by priority, everything I need to do is in there, and I no longer have to track or remember what needs to be done. With a calm inbox, I can step in and out of my work, help my kids move forward in theirs, and avoid the delay and frustration that comes with distraction.

It is not easy, but it is doable. When I trust the system, the impossible become possible.