Blog

Life can be hectic. Most of us would describe our lives as busy with a string of responsibilities which all cry out for our attention, and balancing these commitments is quite a juggling act.

Of course there is nothing wrong with having responsibilities but in my experience the problem comes when they all start crying out for attention at the same time. There is a very real danger that our time becomes so divided that we feel swamped. I am not going to suggest for a moment that I have achieved the perfect work/life balance, but I am learning that prioritising is key if I want to feel like a whole person and not constantly pulled in several different directions at the same time. We need to prioritise, in other words work out what is most important to us, and then divide our time accordingly. We may well discover that we need to lose some of our existing responsibilities and/or replace them with other commitments.

There will be people reading this who are extremely skilled jugglers. They are people who thrive on busyness and seem to be able to keep a number of balls in the air at the same time and remain cool, calm and collected. However many of us need to practice our juggling skills. We have a tendency to throw the balls up into the air and hope that we can catch them, leaving us feeling overwhelmed. I am learning, the hard way, that I can choose the balls, and how many balls, I am juggling. I am reminded of a prayer that hangs in my Mum’s kitchen…

‘God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

Courage to change the things I can,

And wisdom to know the difference.’