Ever feel like you’re spinning so many plates in your life, that at any moment they can all come crashing down? If so, you’re not alone! However, one thing’s for certain, you’re doing better than you may think.
- Your faith
- Your health
- Relationship with your spouse
- Relationship with Child #1
- Relationship with Child #2
- Relationship with Child #3
- Relationship with Child #…..etc.
- Relationship with your Mother
- Relationship with your Father
- Relationships with extended family
- Friendships
- Volunteering at your child’s school and/or in the community
- Employment responsibilities
- Employment/Job relationships
- Home management
- Children’s activities
- Any other area in your life that you’re CONSTANTLY THINKING ABOUT
Just reading this list is exhausting! How do we keep up and meet all those needs? One suggestion is simply the realization that we’re not alone. Checking in for some quality time may provide insight, perspective, distraction, or a much needed laugh. Instead of looking down in despair, look around. You may be surprised by all the “back-stage” hands that are helping us with the show. Despite our efforts, while some plates may stop spinning, the world certainly will not!
Here are a few ways to keep everything up in the air…
SPIN PLATES CLOSEST TO YOU FIRST
Nothing is more distracting to all other areas of our lives then troubled relationships or family members at home. It’s important to remember that the people closest to us should not receive our least amount of focus. Unfortunately, this is often the case. Balancing relationships in our homes require checking-in with one another, while checking-out with everything else. A little quality time with some quality questions will go a long way: “Hey honey, how are things at work? How was school today kids? What was the best part of your day and what was the worst?”
Communicating with our loved ones will empower us to fulfill our other responsibilities without distraction or guilt. Our family members are like fine china and everything else is a paper-plate. One’s disposable, the other’s not.
SPINNING YOUR OWN PLATE
How have you been feeling lately? Are you run down? Overwhelmed? Short-tempered? If so, perhaps the plate that needs the most attention right now, is your own. Self-care is critical to our overall effectiveness. When I began working on my business and launching this blog, I was exercising daily, reading scriptures daily, and feeling up to the challenge. Fast forward a few weeks later and I was staying up too late, missing my morning work-outs, rushing scripture study, and feeling overwhelmed. It took a while to realize that self-care was the ingredient I’d been missing. Once back in the routine of healthy habits, the ideas began to flow and I felt mentally and physically capable of more things being thrown my way.
SPINNING HOME PLATE
Our home is the place where we spend a lot of time. Home management involves things like:
- Meal planning
- Grocery shopping
- Paying bills
- Washing laundry
- Folding laundry (this is the beast in our house)
- Cleaning
Depending on your household, some of these are easier then others. But considered all at once, and you may throw this plate out of a car window headed for “somewhere other then here.” Designating different days for different tasks will help with overall production and prevent you from doing it all at once. Utilize your family members in areas you can. It’s not only going to help you, it will help them have a realistic view of what it takes to be an adult. Not that adulting stinks, but it’s not all play. Scheduling activities for certain days can focus your efforts, while freeing up time for everything else.
YOUR BEST IS GOOD ENOUGH
We’re not perfect and sometimes those plates around us may fall. The best things in our life take consistent time and check ins. Think about it, being healthy is not a single meal or exercise. Healthy relationships aren’t built by a single experience, or one kind gesture. It takes effort little by little. We will make it through whatever challenge comes our way as long as we remember to breathe, and enjoy those beautiful people that are placed in our lives.
About the Author:
“Hello! My name is Maristella Webley and I am a mother of six small children. I married my childhood sweeheart (who went on to become a firefighter), and together we are building a home of learning and fun. I also own a small, thriving preschool with classes for 3-6 year olds. I have a passion for early childhood and know the importance of the first five years! Parents as first teachers is the motto I have structured my kindergarten readiness kits around. I hope to empower parents to have an active role in their child’s life, especially when it comes to early education!”
http://littletimewitharhymeandreason.com