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Balance: How are we going to juggle it all?

  • Published
  • By Col. Pennie Pavlisin
  • 375th Medical Operations Squadron
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Balance. How many of us at times are so overwhelmed by events we wonder, sometimes out loud, "How in the world are we going to juggle it all at one time?" How many of us question if the juggling act will stop or at least slow down before the next round of chaos hits? Are these issues time sensitive, mission focused or family related? If so, who takes priority? So many questions, yet the answers are not clear cut.

Hillary Rodham Clinton said, "Our lives are a mixture of different roles. Most of us are doing the best we can to find whatever the right balance is. For me, the right balance is family, work, and service."
I'm sure many can relate to this.

Balance is different for everyone and may be difficult to manage. For some it means focusing on work, the mission or the task at hand, then focusing on the family when at home. For others it is trying to keep the focus where it needs to be at any given time, whether it's at work or at home.
As a commander I impress upon my folks my four F's: F1) We have to focus on our mission of taking care of our patients to ensure their needs are met; F2) We have to focus on what we value at the end of each day or will value at the end of our Air Force career ... for most of us that's family and those precious to us; F3) We need to focus on fitness. It helps relieve stress and is a mandate; and finally F4) We need to take time for ourselves and to have fun!

Of course all things have to be implemented right? For me F1 through F3 are easy, as they are a part of my everyday mindset. However finding the balance portion is difficult for various reasons. There seems to always be a good reason to spend more time on one activity rather than another until hurt feelings come into play perhaps from missing a school activity, sporting event, or Pep Rally. However, do you find the good reasons fall short when time could have been invested with family and friends?
Catherine Pulsifer said, "We need to maintain a proper balance in our life by allocating the time we have. There are occasions where saying no is the best time management practice there is."

We all are very aware the juggling act is not easy. Good things never are, but the more quickly we identify which objects in motion are rubber and which are glass, the balance pendulum swings farther in our favor. As a wife and mother, I'm grateful when my family helps remind me what can drop and rebound and what may shatter. Have you struck your balance?