I was speaking with an associate the other day who was feeling overwhelmed, as we all do from time to time, by the sheer number of things she had yet to finish that week–and the depth of work involved in each one of those things.

So I gave her permission to not be current. I also gave her permission to not know everything she needs to know about the book business, because there is too much to know for anyone to know everything. I have no cosmic authority to bestow such permission, but my friend felt better for receiving it.

It gave her pause; it made her realize that no one can possibly keep up with the news from so many sources (so we get a variety of perspectives, of course), plus the news of their own industry, plus the new techniques and innovations of the web and other media AND still have the time to get their own work done.

Sometimes it’s even too much to get through all the newsletters that condense the daily changes. We’re not only suffering from information overload, we’re battered by excessive information availability.

So here’s my global Holiday gift for all my female readers who have the weight of the world on their shoulders and flaming whips urging them ever onward:

This is a reusable gift that flourishes when given away.

Unless you’re dealing with fire, flood, chest pains, difficulty breathing, or copious blood loss, you have my permission to stop, sit, and daydream about totally irrelevant matters. And to eat something that makes you happy.

This isn’t Oz and I don’t have a curtain and giant head, but the Great Ghost hath spoken.

You have my permission to not be perfect today.