After weeks of scrambling to meet various deadlines, preparing for celebrations and trying to get a handle on new job responsibilities, I got a reprieve.

Rather than being insanely busy, my life went back to its normal crazy busy.

As it turns out, though, I'd been moving at a sprint for so long that I temporarily forgot how to walk. It was a temporary lapse ... just long enough for me to take a tumble down the driveway.

My 4-year-old was more surprised than I was. In her reality, mommies aren't supposed to fall — or fail, for that matter.

It happens.

When you're trying to juggle too much, sometimes something falls. Despite my inventory of minor scrapes, strains and bruises, I'm actually relieved that the thing that dropped was me.

I bounced back up from my little spill, just like I've bounced back from every other setback that's been thrown my way the past couple months — a little worse for wear but relieved that there wasn't more damage.

The real lesson here is that I'm a klutz, but nevertheless, the episode made me pause to consider why I'm always rushing around like a maniac, sometimes with my brain several steps in front of my feet.

It's ridiculous. One recent Monday, I ran five errands before slipping behind my work computer at 9 a.m.

The next day, I had two appointments and the biggest iced latte I could buy before my workday even began. The rest of the week was much the same.

By that Friday, I was officially fried but decided that the kids and I should celebrate the first chance we had to mellow out in weeks.

I steered them past last weekend's Flavors of Honolulu and into a darkened movie theater to watch "WALL-E," mentally checking that "obligation" off my list.

Maybe we should have just gone home instead, because I was so exhausted the next day that I couldn't even walk from the front door to my car without incident.

I realized then that packing my "free" time with even more activity wasn't going to get me anywhere.

That afternoon, I traded in an invitation to lunch for a chance to get away from the kids so I could browse the Friends of the Library book sale without having to chase after two children with divergent interests.

Last Sunday, I just puttered around the house and got things in order — so it should be smooth sailing into this holiday weekend.

If I slow down enough, I might just manage to focus on what's right in front of me and stay upright.

When she's not being a reporter, Treena Shapiro is busy with her real job, raising a son and daughter. She blogs at www.honoluluadvertiser.com.