30 August 2025
Adaptability: The Art of Controlled Chaos
By Penny Donaldson
If motherhood has taught me anything—and believe me, it’s taught me plenty—it’s that adaptability isn’t a luxury, it’s a survival skill. Structure is the scaffolding of my day: colour-coded calendars, meal plans, and the sacred 7:30 bedtime for the girls, then me and Jim at 9.30 (shockingly early starts for the both of us having to be onsite at Sellafield at the crack of dawn, with one or other of us taking the girls to school). But life doesn’t always respect your spreadsheet. One minute you’re briefing the safety team on radioactive waste containment, the next you’re in the school yard with a sick Isla and a forgotten PE kit. Thanks heaven’s Old Bank House is more or less across the street. The trick is to hold your structure lightly. Think of it like a map: useful for direction, but not much good if the bridge is out and you refuse to take the detour.
One tip I swear by is the “pivot point” rule. At the start of each week, I identify one or two tasks that can be moved if needed. That way, when the inevitable curveball comes (and it will), I’ve got breathing room. Another is the “ten-minute reset”: when plans unravel, I give myself ten minutes to regroup, reframe, and reassign. It’s not about perfection—it’s about momentum. I once had to conduct a remote safety audit from the back of our camper van while Jim “managed” the girls at a rainy Lake District campsite. Not ideal, but we got through it with a flask of tea and a phone signal that held out just long enough.
Adaptability isn’t chaos—it’s choreography. It’s knowing when to lead and when to follow, when to stick to the plan and when to rewrite it. Mae once asked me if being a grown-up meant always knowing what to do. I told her no—it means knowing how to keep going when you don’t. So, to all the working mums out there juggling careers, kids, and the occasional nuclear emergency: give yourself permission to flex. Your structure is strong enough to bend without breaking.
And always remember why you’re doing it all. Your family. And mentioning my family, many thanks to Isla for the artwork (she’s currently missing in action somewhere, usurpingly, possibly under the sofa – will have to get Mae to “find” her in a minute). And thanks to Mae for “finding” Isla whenever she wanders off. That “finding” skill remains a complete Lakeland mystery to me!
Welcome to Penny’s Precepts, 1 June 2025: I am often asked what being a mother, a wife and holding down a demanding job in a dangerous environment subject to national security and safety rules requires from me. What I tend to say is that a person needs to be highly organized and to adopt habits that reflect a structured approach to life. Here are some of my little “tricks” that I keep in mind (and the list is posted on the inside of my wardrobe for me to see whenever I get dressed of a morning):
- Proactive Planning: Plan ahead, whether it’s for daily tasks, long-term goals, or unexpected challenges. This includes creating to-do lists, setting priorities, and maintaining a calendar.
- Attention to Detail: Be precise and ensure that even small details are accounted for, which helps avoid mistakes and enables you to stay on top of responsibilities.
- Adaptability: Recognising the importance of structure, also be flexible enough to adjust plans when circumstances change, maintaining a balance between order and spontaneity.
- Efficiency-Oriented: focus on simplifying tasks and eliminating unnecessary steps to maximize productivity and minimize wasted time.
- Self-Discipline: Aim for self-control, sticking to routines and commitments even when motivation wanes.
- Positive Mindset: approach challenges with a solution-focused attitude, seeing obstacles as opportunities to learn and grow.
- Empathy and Collaboration: value teamwork and be considerate of others’ needs and perspectives.
