Is Your Life in Balance or Is It a Balancing Act?

By Sheri Fisher ~ 3/16/2010
"Some of us have designed our lives so tightly that any change or emergency can throw us into disaster mode. A balancing act is different from a life of balance."

I am an extreme planner. Ever since I had kids I have been very organized with my time. I have a belief that every minute counts and I have to make the most of it.

Being fairly Type-A, I've been this way all of my life—but it was intensified when the boys were born. The twins, Bryce and Ryan, are 17 months younger than James, so any "free" moments (such as when the babies were sleeping all at the same time&mdashRARE— after bedtime, when they were still locked into their car seats and I needed to unload the groceries, etc.) needed to be used VERY wisely.

And so I pretty much over-plan and schedule my life, trying to fit as much in as possible.

My thoughts go like this: "It will take my hubby about 14 minutes to pick up the boys from school, and I have the house all to myself. In that time I can get the clothes out of the dryer and unload the dishwasher. No, those are both tasks I can do when everyone gets home. I don't want to waste this precious quiet time on such menial things."

When I read the quote above in my daily calendar for "Women Who Do Too Much" (which, by the way, I was behind by about three months), the quote hit home.

My scheduling leaves things so tight that when something goes slightly differently than planned, it can really mess up what I thought was carefully choreographed.

"A balancing act is different than a life of balance."

It's such a good quote that I am hanging it on the bulletin board in my office to remind me to stay in balance not by over-planning, but rather by finding the right combination of activities and solitude based on my values and priorities. Every minute does count, but I don't get extra credit for also being productive.

This leads me to another quote I absolutely love that comes from the book Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach:

"Not all hours are billable."

This is another great quote that deserves to hang on my bulletin board.

Is your life in balance, or is it a balancing act?

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