Balance stabilizes our lives. But how do we find balance if life constantly seems to shift?
Finding a sense of balance in my life has always been important to me. However, it can sometimes feel like the harder I look for it, the more it slips from my grasp. Recently, I have taken on more responsibilities at work, and while this means I’ll have the opportunity to gain new experiences, I will also have to devote more of my time to my job. This will require me to throw out my old schedule and completely reevaluate what matters most in my life. Now I find myself wondering how I can accomplish all that I need to. How do I manage my time and find my priorities?
Photo by Tara Winstead
In David Dickson’s article “Life Balance: A Moving Target,” he compares someone balancing priorities in life to an acrobat spinning several plates on wooden sticks at the same time. In this trick, it is impossible for an acrobat to spin every single plate at the same speed. When one plate starts slowing down, the acrobat has to focus a little bit more on that specific plate to keep it spinning.
Just like the acrobat can’t focus on only one plate without dropping the others, we can never devote all our time to one responsibility. We have to adapt our focus as our lives and priorities change. By doing this, we can find a moderate balance in our lives. Sometimes, this requires picking up a new plate when a new priority arises, or setting down a few plates for a moment while we focus on the most important ones. Balance isn’t something that is found once and then stays the same forever. It is something that requires constant adjustment. In order to find our balance, we must set priorities and then address them one by one.
So how do we figure out our priorities? We can pray to God and seek clarity on what is most important at this time in our lives. He can help guide us in prioritizing as our life shifts and changes. Sometimes all we can do is continually reevaluate and refocus on what matters most at the moment. Then as we continue to focus on spinning the right plates, we will find our balance so we can accomplish all we need to.
Find out more regarding David Dickson’s take on living a balanced life in his article “Life Balance: A Moving Target.”
Source: New Era
—Amelia Anderson, Latter-day Saint Insights
FEATURE IMAGE BY BROOKE LARK
Find more insights
Take a look at Donald L. Hallstrom’s article “Seeking a Balanced Life” to learn about the four priorities he defines for our lives.
Learn how to find humor in your search for balance in Kennadie Halliday’s Latter-day Saint Insights article “Humor and Enthusiasm: The Keys to a Balanced Life.”