Are You Balancing Your Life or Simply Juggling All Your Responsibilities?

By Suzanne Lieurance

Almost every day coaching clients or friends tell me they’re juggling so many things in their lives right now that they can hardly keep up with them all.

No one ever tells me they’re “balancing” so many things in their lives that they find it hard to keep up.
That’s because there’s a big difference between “balancing” and “juggling.”

A couple of definitions in the American Heritage Dictionary for the word balance are: “mental steadiness or emotional stability; and - habit of calm behavior, judgment, etc.”

The same dictionary defines the word juggling as “having difficulty holding; balancing insecurely.”

With these definitions in mind, is it any wonder that people who balance the elements of their lives are calmer and more at-ease with themselves and the world around them than those who merely juggle everything?

People who simply juggle the various people and situations in their lives are more likely to feel frustrated, tired, overworked, and have trouble with personal and professional relationships.
Here are some questions to ask yourself:

Do you wake up feeling you're already behind with your work and you'll never be able to catch up?

Do you get angry at your friends, family, and co-workers easily, often for no apparent reason at all?

Do you have so many items on your daily to-do list that you find it difficult to focus on accomplishing any one thing on the list?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, chances are, you're juggling.

You probably need to slow down and get things into balance. Make time for all the important areas of your life: body, mind, spiritual, and financial.

In the long run, you’ll be more successful, both personally and professionally. You’ll feel better, too.

For more tips for balancing your life and achieving your overall goals, visit The Working Writer's Coach at http://www.workingwriterscoach.com and sign up for The Morning Nudge, a free daily motivational email. Visit The Lieurance Group at http://www.lieurancegroup.com for additional articles to help you create the life of your dreams.