A Beginner’s Guide to Juggling Life
Written by Katie Tallo.
Ever had one of those meltdown days where you’re dropping balls left, right and centre? Me too! My housekeeping ball rolled away with the dust bunnies, my gardening ball got tangled up in the weeds, and my social life ball went down to Bluesfest without me.
Part of the reason for my total lack of hand-eye coordination is that I’ve become more than a little obsessed with my new virtual world, to the neglect of my real world. It’s not like I haven’t been busily cleaning, gardening and socializing. I’ve just been doing it online. I’ve been tidying up my blog, growing my relationships, and hanging out on Skype.
But, to truly cope with all of life’s challenges, tasks, to-dos and out of the blue demands, I decided I needed a plan of attack for keeping several balls in air without them all crashing down on my head. I needed to be able to loft and dip, grab and toss at a moment’s notice, but I needed a way to do it with a light heart and a stress-free mindset. Juggling! It’s not easy, but once you get the hang of it, life can be an absolute ball!
Five Easy Steps To Becoming a Master Juggler
Step One: Be sure to pick the right balls.
Only juggle those tasks that matter most to you and those that are absolute musts. Life’s too short to be running around picking up everyone else’s balls. Grab your own (gently) and make them your priority.
Step Two: Begin to toss one ball, over and over, until you get the feel for juggling.
Start with one project, one task, one skill – then practice it until you feel at ease letting it go, picking it up, and tossing it around at will. Once one task feels natural, add another.
Step Three: Take one ball in each hand.
Now, you’re ready to multi-task. You’ve grasped how to juggle one task. You’ve added another without missing a beat. Now, try working with them simultaneously, moving seamlessly from one to the other. This takes focus. Don’t let one completely sideline the other. Give each its due. You’ll get the hang of it. I’m doing it right now – writing this article and simultaneously keeping up with emails and tweets, while getting a pedicure (I wish).
Step Four: Time to juggle three balls.
Add a third task once you’re comfortable with two. Stay loose and visualize yourself lightly lofting your tasks about and shifting back and forth between them. All the while, keep your mind’s eye on the balls you’ve decided to juggle, recognizing which needs your attention most and when.
Step Five: Add more balls.
The more you practice juggling, the easier it gets and the more you’ll be honing your multi-tasking skills, your adaptability, your prioritizing instincts, and your ability to really focus. Gradually, you’ll move quicker and your balls will fly higher.
Four Kind of Balls To Help You Become a Better Juggler
The Spitball
Toss ideas around with fellow jugglers. Ask them how they manage all their to-dos. Learn what works and what doesn’t from other busy people. It’s a surefire way to up your game. Everyone’s got a technique. Find the one that works for you.
The Snowball
Push one ball forward. Begin with one task. It’s the best way to gather momentum. Start small and just keep rolling with it. You’ll collect energy, inspiration and motivation along the way to get it done.
The Fastball
Whip a few balls across the room. Fire away! Sometimes a task just needs a sense of urgency to get it moving. When you take charge and get a whole bunch of to-dos done in one swoop, you suddenly fast forward life.
The Softball
Go easy. Don’t juggle too much at once. Be sure to give a project or task the time and focus it needs. Speed is not always the answer. It’s okay to put some balls gently off to one side, while others take flight. Patience and ease make for a skilled juggler.
Whether you choose to spitball or fastball your way through your current mountain of to-dos, remember that most jugglers are clowns. Don’t take yourself too seriously and have some fun along the way. Life need not be an endless juggle-struggle. Now, get out there and let it fly.
Have you got some juggling techniques and tips you’d like to share? Let’s spitball a little!
Oh, and just a head’s up. If you’re looking for an easy way to juggle multiple blogs, check out The Daily Brainstorm. It’s a mash up of some of the web’s best blogs in one single blogazine.
45 Responses to “A Beginner’s Guide to Juggling Life”
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Nice one Katie. Now if I could only offload my cooking, cleaning, and shopping balls, I might be able to juggle the others.
Thanks Maria. I’m with you. Cooking is becoming a pet peeve of mine. I’ve definitely dropped that ball. Shopping rolled away years ago and cleaning, well, let’s just say I wouldn’t be exaggerating to say my dust bunnies have become dust gorillas. Yikes. Oh well, I’m managing to juggle everything else.
Love this post! Just saw it on the brainstorm front page when I went in to edit and I was sucked right in. Love the color and style of this, Katie, and of course the advice and writing are spot on!
.-= Jean Sarauer´s last blog ..How to Avoid Blog Plateaus and Grow Your Blog Infinitely =-.
Jean, yippee, I’m very excited to be featured on The Daily Brainstorm’s front page (thanks Barrie). Thanks for your continued support and blogging companionship. It is a true gift.
Oh no. You want me to multi-task? LOL Excellent advice. Life is definitely too short to be picking up everyone else’s balls. And I’ve been getting better at this too! 6 months of working from home and starting to get into some semblance of a routine. Actually joined in with my real life writer’s group tonight! lol AND my house isn’t TOO bad with the cleaning right now…only tiny dust bunnies
.-= Leah McClellan´s last blog ..The Zen Master’s Unexpected Lesson- 10 Tips For Empathy =-.
Leah darling, you’re the multi-tasking queen, you can’t fool me. Good for you for participating in real life for an evening. I envy that, and your tiny dust bunnies.
Great post, Katie
As I write this I’ve got a sink full of dishes piling up on me that I’m neglecting as I try to create more content I’m afraid!
.-= Joshua´s last blog ..Rumor- Smaller iPads Being Created for Holiday Season =-.
Joshua, leave the dishes be! Alternatively, you could learn to wash them using your feet and then your hands will be free to type. Ha ha. Glad you enjoyed the post! Cheers.
Katie,
I love your story telling post! this time with juggling. I can not really do “real” juggle with 3 balls at all, but in real life events juggling has to be done, with 2 kids yelling, pulling, cooking, typing on laptop, drinking tea to stay awake! oh my lists are endless. I suck at it at times but this suggestions might do the trick! thanks for sharing and getting featured on DBS.
Preeti, I think you must have loved to be read to as a child. Or you are an avid reader because you always mention story first. I love that. Sounds like you’re doing the best you can in your juggling efforts. Keep it up. And yes, we refer to it all the time as TDBS or DBS.
DBS= Daily Brain Storm
It is my nick name for it! Feel free to use it, if you like it.
Hi Katie..
Love this post and the advice. I’ve recently moved from juggling various balls to simply focusing on one thing at a time before moving on to another, so I love your advice on focusing on one ball at a time.
Thanks for sharing this and yeah, awesome colors!!
Warmly,
.-= Prerna´s last blog ..5 Simple Ways to Save Money on Groceries =-.
Hi Prerna, Glad you like the post and the colours. I love to create a visually fun place for readers to visit. Plus, I tried juggling once, for real, and those balls are the exact same ones I had. One ball at a time — very sound approach.
Precise, to the point and practical.
Plus I loved your headline.
Wonderful post Katie.
Stumbled.
.-= Abubakar Jamil´s last blog ..The Power of Compartmentalization =-.
Thank you Abubakar, precise, practical and to the point are my favourite kind of posts too. Have a great day!
Nice. That is such a wonderful fun example. What I like it is thats its light and practical. Makes one feel that they can master the act of juggling with fun, rather than with stress. Good stuff
.-= Uzma´s last blog ..Finding a candle- solutions come from action and calm =-.
Uzma, I made a conscious effort (effort in a fun way) to infuse this post with that lightness because I don’t want anyone to think I’m suggesting that they need to juggle everything well all the time. That’s stress. We need less stress in our lives. Thanks for pointing that out. Cheers.
Ahhhhhhh so that’s how it’s done! I’ve been lucky enough to have my husband pick up the balls I keep dropping, like handling images and graphics and an awful lot of the housework
Still haven’t quite got a routine down here, either, but it is getting there, intense writing from 6am to noon on most days, and the other stuff in the afternoons.
Re cooking: I am working on an approach that just might suit you…more on this in the days ahead…
.-= Meg´s last blog ..Small Steps vs Big Muddles =-.
Meg, good on you. Husbands, kids, pets are all great options for picking up balls. Problem with pets is they bring them back to you. I find husbands can do that too. Sounds like you practice with a fastball in the morning and get a lot done. Can’t wait to read about your approach.
Nice post, Katie. I’ve definitely felt just how you described in the beginning. Much love!
.-= Melissa Gorzelanczyk´s last blog ..A List for Jumping into a Life of Memorable Scenes =-.
Hey Melissa, much love to you too! Hope you don’t feel too overwhelmed anymore now that you’ve taken your life in your hands and quit that day job. Your story is very inspiring.
Hi Katie, great post! I’ve been getting a little sucked into the online world also, and need to find some way of creating some order into my real life. Or real/virtual life balance =P
Hi Lynn. Darn online world. You’d swear it was real! It’s tough to balance. I think mini-breaks can really help, and then not worrying about what tweets and posts you missed while you were away and just picking up where you are. Now, will I take my own advice. Maybe. Thanks for commenting, Lynn.
Hi Katie,
This was great and just what I needed with all I’m juggling at the moment. There’s a whole world out there – outside of our computers, but sometimes we forget that. Our online world is all too real, our online connections are all to real and they compete with our real life. So much to juggle, but your great and fun steps ease us down the path to complete what we set out to do! I like the soft-ball approach best.
Angela, what world? There’s a world out there? Shoot. That’s why my butt is getting bigger. I’m sitting on it too much. Okay, time for a run or a little softball. Cheers and happy juggling! Now, step away from the computer.
Great post. Adding mothball for my sweaters that I sadly still need to pull out every now and again in the peek-a-boo SF sunshine.
Nice. I like mothball. I could be those tasks that make sure all the other ones don’t get musty. Thanks Belinda.
Katie: You don’t know how badly I needed this post. I was literally laughing out loud when I read the first paragraph because it was so relevant to what I am trying to manage right now. I really like this idea of strategic juggling. I particularly thought your recommendation to start with one task and start small and then allow the momentum to build was great advice. Thanks so much for this post. It really was a great one.
.-= Sibyl – alternaview´s last blog ..Do the Small Things Well and Achieve Big Goals =-.
Sibyl, I’m so happy I helped and gave you a laugh too. I think so many of us can relate to being overwhelmed. Enjoy your one task thoroughly.
Sorry I am late to the game – I was learning to juggle
!
You are so smart and just know how to drive a point home, Katie. Do you know that your stories and the way you write stays with me long after I read your articles? The brilliant photo selection helps too! I am flunking juggling lately and I need to break my email/twitter/FaceBook addiction so I can juggle the productivity balls better…..thank you for the wake-up call…..
Farnoosh, you just made my day. I was just talking about what a wonderful, balanced presence you project on your blog and in your communication with others, so it heartens me to know that you get something from my blog. I’m grateful for all your positive feedback. I, too, am thinking about how to break my digital addictions. I’m a newbie to Facebook and Twitter but already find them trying to get way too much of my attention, like a two-year-old that keeps poking me to keep playing. My brain hurts at the end of the day because I like to play. I wrote the post because I’m not the greatest juggler either some days. It’s a balancing act.
I’m trying very hard to refrain from one hand jokes;)
Juggling like this is one of the harder realities of building an online community, a blog, or any sort of online presence. I thought it was hard enough before when all I had to do was worry about the online aspect and keep the grass cut. Now that my other half has taken on a full time night shift, I get to worry about the dishes, kid to bed, laundry, all that neato stuff us guys miss out on all the time. Really, if any guys want to join in the fun I’ll let em do some laundry, just to spread the fun!:)
.-= Paul novak´s last blog ..Critical Writing- Don’t Believe Everything You Read =-.
Paul, you’re not the only one (Leah and Meg are practically peeing their pants laughing together in the comments) and don’t think for a minute that I didn’t have tongue-in-cheek writing much of this post.
I feel for you having to juggle so much. The online world can suck you in and you end up at 2 a.m. doing yesterday’s dishes. I’ve never been involved in anything that required so much hand-eye-brain coordination! And I used to make movies!
part of learning to juggle is dropping all the balls
and sometimes some stay in the air. I like you observation on the types of balls spitball, snowball, fastball, softball 
.-= Aileen´s last blog ..Stretch Your Way Into Stress Relief With These 10 Stretches =-.
Thanks Aileen. Yep, those dropped balls are lessons. We should just let them roll away or keep on picking them up over and over. We learn from our mistakes, that’s for sure.
Ok I must admit your post made me laugh out loud, mostly because I have a dirty mind and when you said to handle them gently…. Anyway
Funny enough though I needed a good laugh today as trying to juggle one ball is taking much of my focus as I ambitiously eye the other balls. So thanks, for the reminder to chill out and keep my eye on the ball (even if it is only one ball)
.-= Meg Boone´s last blog ..Climbing back on the Wagon =-.
psssst Meg….saw this in my email comment update and have to admit that I was grinning …”take one ball in each hand”…um, ok now what lmao ::ahem::: of course I’m just thinking of when I did medical writing and something about Lance Armstrong and self-exams lol Well I mean I wrote about the self-exams but figured I’d better do one on someone before writing about it…ok I’d better hsut up now
lmao
.-= Leah McClellan´s last blog ..The Zen Master’s Unexpected Lesson- 10 Tips For Empathy =-.
What is really funny is one really does need to ’self examine’ ones balls before handling them, or juggling them. Ok better stop before Katie catches us passing notes in class….but glad I wasn’t the only one with *ahem* a less than pristine mind. nice to meet ya Leah ; )
.-= Meg Boone´s last blog ..Climbing back on the Wagon =-.
You’re absolutely right. We DO have to examine our balls before handling them! How can I juggle if I don’t even know… OMG she’s coming….Nice ta meetcha too Meg!!
:::runs to check out your blog:::
.-= Leah McClellan´s last blog ..The Zen Master’s Unexpected Lesson- 10 Tips For Empathy =-.
Meg! Leah! Both of you have a detention!
Nice tips! Starting with one ball and getting a good feel of it is a practical step. It is better than taking so many balls at the same time and dropping them all again.
.-= Joyce at What Would You Do in Heaven´s last blog ..All The World Is Meaningless Without Love! =-.
Joyce, it seems like all of us find the focus on “one ball” truly significant to our progress as jugglers of life. I’m trying to put a few down these days, but it’s sometimes harder to figure out which ones to drop, than it is to just keep on juggling too many. I’m getting there with small daily decisions. Hope you are too. Cheers.
Katie,
I love the new look of your header! So pretty!
Thanks Angela, I love it too.