I know what you are thinking....that image is NOT me...You are probably right, it isn't. Remove the image of a woman and put yourself in her place. Does this feel like you? Are you wearing many hats and trying to juggle them all? For me I constantly am struggling with the endless to-do lists, appointments, projects, home, kids, marriage, life, and lastly myself. Today is all about "go-go-go." I recently read this article about the disease that is "being busy." As I read it I found myself nodding my head in agreement and question at the same time. Why have we done this to ourselves? It seems that in the rat-race of life it has become the new normal to list off how busy we always are as though it is a badge of honor. The more tired we are. The busier we are. The more stressed we are....All of those have become benchmarks for success.
The truth is this (at least in my opinion). We are all busy. There are always a million "things" that need to get done. One person's busy doesn't always look like the next, but both people feel that pull and the stress of being "busy." Has being busy really become the way that we measure our own success? Sitting back and enjoying a hot cup of coffee with NOTHING in front of us can now be perceived as laziness. Picture this: think about the last time you were out at a coffee shop (or anywhere really). How many people were sitting there with nothing....not a tablet, phone, computer, book, or a phone in front of them. Can you think of one time like that? I can't.
Being so pre-occupied with all the things we need to do leads to being in a state of chaos. Trying to multi-task to accomplish more has led to things like endless social media scrolling and netflix marathons the second we have downtime.
How do we fix this?
The art of the juggle is something that most people are in search of. Personally with summer coming to a close I am getting excited to have the structure of school days back for my oldest boys. Knowing that their days look similar Monday through Friday helps me plan for what things I can accomplish while they are gone. I am NOT perfect with finding balance between all the roles I play. What I do is prioritize what I have committed to getting done each day. I try to slow down, be present and think about what truly is the focus today. Sometimes the focus is work that I try to creatively avoid. Others it is the chore list that has been piling up.
What are some ways that you "juggle?"
Progress Demands Change
Cheers!
-Sara