Life Balance

During a recent discussion about leadership, we watched this plate spinning routine by Erich Brenn.  It is amazing!  The topic was on balancing your life.  The presenter used this video to spark discussion about life balance and how you keep all of the plates in your life spinning at the same time.  



A few thoughts came to me during that discussion.  

My first thought was why do all the plates need to spin?  If you are trying to keep too many plates spinning in your life, maybe it is time to set some of the plates aside for a while.  The scripture came to mind in Ecclesiastes chapter 3, starting in verse 1.  

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.  Ecclesiastes 3:1

It then goes on to explain that there is a time and a place for everything in your life.  If your life feels out of control and you are having trouble keeping all the plates spinning, then think about which plate to take off the stick.  

That leads to a great question.  Which plates should I stop spinning?  When things get hectic, most people have a tendency to stop exercising, give up sleep, start eating poorly, and neglect their spiritual growth.  They think that if they stop doing these things that they will have more time.  Unfortunately, this line of thinking is flawed.  Things like good health and spiritual grown are not plates, but they are (to borrow a military term) force multipliers.   These things make the plates spin better, spin longer, and increase your ability to spin the plates.  

There is no prize for spinning the most plates.  As a final thought, consider Mosiah 4:27.  

And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order. Mosiah 4:27.