Bouncing Balls

I’m going to contradict myself in a moment.  As a Coach we look at life and all it encompasses from every angle.  On one hand, I understand when Anthony Smith says “To achieve a high level of competency, work/life balance doesn’t happen.  Something’s gotta give.”

Take my son’s surgeon for example.  This woman worked up to 40 hours at a time on one surgery.  Is it possible to have any kind of life when this is the norm for her?  Absolutely not.  Is it imperative we have people like her in the world who can do such amazing work?  Definitely!  Is it up to me as a Coach to lecture her about work life balance?  No.  It’s up to her to make that choice and for me to support her in her choices.

On the other hand, to quote the past CEO of Coca Cola Enterprises (1959-1994) Brian Dyson, “Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling five balls in the air. You name them - work, family, health, friends, and spirit - and you’re keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls - family, health, friends, and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged, or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.” 

What balls are you dropping?  There’s the contradiction.  Why the contradiction?  Because it’s all about paying attention.  Only by paying attention to what you’re living and what you want in your life and seeing if they’re in alignment, can you make the choices that work for you.  Our lives are filled with contradictions!

Is it all about hours you put in?

No.  You can be working an 8 hour day, and even though you go home at the end of the day, if you take your stressors and problems home with you, well, you might not be working but you might as well be as you’re not ‘present’; your mind is miles away.

What can you do about it?

If nothing else, make a list for yourself to get to first thing in the morning.  Like that rubber ball, those problems will still be there waiting for you tomorrow.  It’s not to say procrastinate, avoid and shove everything in the closet.  It’s saying “I can’t do anything about it right now, so I’m going to park it until tomorrow, go home and do my thing for now, knowing it’ll be waiting for me in the morning and maybe…just maybe not seem so overwhelming when I’ve had a chance to sleep on it.  Maybe you’ll have more clarity of thought when you do get back to it or realize it wasn’t as earth shattering as you first thought.  Regardless…that ball will bounce back.  Or you can call someone whose insights you trust, set up a conversation for the following day and wait until you have an added perspective and support so you’re not going it alone.  You’ll figure it out, don’t you think?

Last but not least…

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I’ll leave you with this:

“The real questions are the ones that obtrude upon your consciousness whether you like it or not, the ones that make your mind start vibrating like a jackhammer, the ones that you “come to terms with” only to discover that they are still there. The real questions refuse to be placated. They barge into your life at the times when it seems most important for them to stay away. They are the questions asked most frequently and answered most inadequately, the ones that reveal their true natures slowly, reluctantly, most often against your will.” - Ingrid Bengis 

Make sure those questions are answered.
With deepest respect,

Donna Karlin
Founder and Principal
A Better Perspective
http://www.abetterperspective.com/

ISSN 1913-6307