Full disclosure, that last bit is questionable at best, but since no one is hiding the steak knives, I’m gonna roll with it. The following are a few things that have helped me keep all my plates spinning:

• Delegate For real. This sounds super “yeah, whatever,” but for all use carers out there, you know, the people responsible for others; be it kids, family members, spouses, pets, etc., delegation is a hard thing. But guys, it’s okay to ask for help and to let people do things for you. The kids can fold the laundry. Yes, it will look like it’s been regurgitated for a while, but I promise people in the school pick up line are already judging you, and that cashier at the supermarket doesn’t care. Which leads me to my next tip:
• Let go of perfectionism Because it won’t be, ever. Not in real life and not on the page. Someone will always find something you could’ve done better. Heck, you’ll finds stuff you could’ve done better. You know that whole art being subjective thing? I mean, not that I’ve ever tweaked a manuscript to death… Cough *lies* cough. Look, get whatever you’re working on to a point where you’re pleased and set it free.
• Sit down and do the work This is big, and yeah, it’s not always easy. Sometimes you just cannot get your butt in that chair, and then figuring out how to get into a story? Forget about it. Which is when it’s time to play housebreaker. Right, so this is totally dumb, but what do you do if you lock yourself out of your house? Check the doors, windows, scream until your kid peels themselves away from Minecraft long enough to let you in? My point is, there are all these angles you try. It’s the same with starting a project. Sit down and write. Even if it doesn’t work in the moment, at some point, things will click.
• Sometimes you just can’t And that’s okay. Yeah, I suck at this. I’m very much a “let’s do all the things person,” but in practice that doesn’t work out so well. So, make sure give yourself enough breathing space between all of your commitments. Running up against multiple deadlines is not a great place to be. And yes, that is absolutely speaking from experience. Angry editors are not fun to deal with.