Juggling it All

I enjoy watching jugglers. As someone with a lifelong distrust of flying objects and a body that just doesn't seem to jive with hand-eye coordination, I am always impressed with the sheer number of things they can keep in the air. When it's just balls, that's impressive enough. But man, when they do a combination of balls and pins, when someone tosses them something new to incorporate, or when they set the whole darn thing on fire? Whew. 

I think I also identify with their skill at keeping multiple things aloft and making it look easy. As a grant consultant, business owner, social activist, and mom ... let's just say I sometimes feel like my whole life is a whirl of flaming priorities. 

Sometimes it is easy. Sometimes I don't have three major grants due in as many weeks, a big family vacation (for which I committed to not working even a little bit on), a sick husband and cat, professional development I can't skip, oh--and laundry piling up around me. 

Sometimes, though? Sometimes it is really hard. Sure, I have a lot of practice juggling my priorities, so what might be overwhelming to someone else is (or at least seems to be) routine to me. And yes, there is a lot of muscle memory so I can handle more.

But I promise, I can only do what I do because I have developed specific skills to my act manageable: 

• I know my routine. I usually know what is coming next because I have lists (lots of lists) and calendars that keep my chaotic brain organized. If it isn't written down, it doesn't exist. So I try to write everything down so nothing slips into my act by surprise. 
• I have a plan. My business plan includes the things that are most important to me--serving as a resource to my clients, a thriving and fulfilling business, and contributing to my family's well-being. I keep these things in focus when I decide to take on new projects or clients. When things get coo-coo-bananas, I reframe my chaos as serving these goals. That, or I let something go. 
• I trust myself. Sometimes I have to decide which of my current priorities will shatter if they fall and which will bounce. And I trust I will pick up the things that bounce on the rebound. I know what I'm doing, and I'll get there eventually. 
• I forgive myself. I am not perfect, I will make mistakes and I will bite off more than I can chew. When I am juggling what feels like flaming knives, spending energy on shame over not being perfect is counter productive. When I can finally catch my breath, being upset over that which I can't undo just keeps me from focusing on what I can do.
• I am flexible. The thing with clients and kids and life in general is you can't plan for everything. Sometimes you get tossed a ball that is a lot heavier than you thought it would be. Sometimes you are asked to keep doing what you are doing but with your eyes closed. Sometimes you need to incorporate a totally new movement into your routine. Panicking doesn't help me, so I try to just roll with it and treat it like a chance to learn something new. 

Look, I have taken enough professional personality assessments to know there are some things I am good at, and some skills I will be proficient in at best. When it comes down to it, it isn't some magical, innate strength at priority juggling that allows me to perform at my best. It is knowing what I am good at and leaning on that, finding ways to work around what I am not good at, and practicing until I get it right. Or at least right enough.

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