Want to Know How to Juggle Your Responsibilities More Easily?

Do you juggle?

I don’t juggle in the traditional sense of the word. I tried it once and my eye-hand coordination seemed to be lacking.😊

However, reality is that I juggle everyday: tasks, responsibilities, etc.

Maybe the same is true for you.

The problem is that juggling is exhausting!

Out of curiosity, I looked up world records:

• 3 balls for 13 hours, 10 minutes versus 9 balls for 55 seconds.
• 3 clubs for 5 hours, 40 minutes, 17 seconds versus 9 clubs for 11 catches.
• 3 rings for 3 hours, 10 minutes, 45 seconds versus 9 rings for 50 seconds.

Two very logical conclusions: objects have different difficulty levels and adding objects shortens the total juggling time.

I’m not surprised!

However, when it comes to our own juggling, we sometimes think that to-dos are similar in terms of effort and time.

Yet, how can that be?

It can’t!

After all, cooking eggs, bacon, and homemade biscuits for breakfast takes a lot longer than cold cereal with milk.

So why do we think that choosing a new medical insurance plan will take the same amount of time as paying our regularly monthly bills? Or that an MRI is the same length of time as a regular blood draw.

What happens when we add new tasks to our juggling?

Less sleep, inadvertently dropped obligations, frustration, etc. It takes a toll on ourselves and on others.

My life, and probably yours too, seems to get busier rather than calmer. So I can only modify my crazy juggling act if I make changes.

Recently I read an analogy that’s stuck with me.

The idea is that some balls are rubber, which means that they bounce. While it’s possible that when it bounces, it hits something or bounces far away. But for the most part, rubber balls are safe.

Glass balls, on the other hand, are problematic. If one falls and shatters, you or someone else may get injured.

So when it comes to juggling life’s responsibilities, differentiating between which endeavors are rubber versus glass is very useful! That being said, I know that rubber balls aren’t just frivolous hobbies. They often have to be taken seriously. I’m just suggesting that there is a difference between the glass and rubber balls of life.

A helpful question to ask each day is “Which balls are glass and which are rubber?”

You can be intentional and juggle more successfully. Or you can ignore the question and watch what happens when the balls start hitting the ground.

If distinguishing between tasks is difficult for you, check out the short post Did you know that saying “I can’t” Increases your Productivity?