"How do I balance everything?"
What we are really asking is, "How do I do all of this stuff, and do it well?"
Short Answer: We can't.
We do not need more time in the day, we need more wisdom with how to manage the time we have. We need to know what activity to cut and when to cut it. We need to know when it's okay to focus on one responsibility over the other, or focus on one person at the expense of others.
It is possible that when we feel overwhelmed and unable to accomplish all we have been given, then we are requiring things of ourselves that God does not require. Check the schedule: what can get cut? Sometimes it's not that we need to quit the activity, but the expectations associated with all the activity. For example:
A few weeks ago, I had a chaotic week. There was no way I could home-school, take care of the kids, the house, and feed us like I normally do because I had several "outside-of-the-house" activities that I was preparing for. Some things had to go, so I chose to let it be the laundry and the toys. The kids had free reign of the house for a little while and their clutter was everywhere. I was at peace with the chaos because I knew I was doing all I could do.
That is....until someone unexpectedly showed up at my house.
The emotions in my heart were surprising to even me, who does not claim to run a tight ship: embarressment, guilt, anxiety. I was suddenly overwhelmed and felt the need to defend myself. I can admit that I can't do everything, but I really don't want to show everyone.
Sometimes we can't throw off the responsibilities that we have been entrusted with, but we can throw off the things in our heart that keep us from feeling incredibly "unbalanced". If you have searched your motives/ heart and found no tangible activity to take out of the schedule, consider taking a slash at:
*people-pleasing
*other's expectations
*your own expectations
*keeping up with the Jones'
*getting worth out of your performance
Do you feel an incessant need to be more balanced? What activity or heart-idol can you cut?
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