Juggling Life | Keira's Place

Gayle_BozemanFamilyChristian_small A Blog Post by Gayle M. Irwin
I recently sojourned to the desert: spending time in dry, sunny, warm Arizona while my homestate of Wyoming froze in white, wind and cold. Although snow has its beauty, come January I grow weary of the white powder and this year, I sought respite.

I disconnected from the Internet, TV news, and phone – I took my cell phone but screened calls, planning only to pick up if (1) my friends in Arizona called about meet-up times and to give directions or (2) my parents called – that would be an emergency, because they respect my “downtime”; my husband traveled with me, so I knew he would not be calling! I believe it’s important to “unplug” now and again, to realign ourselves and decompress from all that bombards us.

Many of us are writers with “day jobs”. I personally have three: my part-time work with a medical clinic; writing articles for Our Town Casper; and serving as Administrative Assistant for Wyoming Writers, Inc. I juggle many duties with each position. And, of course, there is my homelife: cooking, laundry, housework, shopping, taking care of hubby and pets, etc. My work is not assembly-lined, no Lucy and Ethel boxing candies or Laverne and Shirley bottlecapping beer! In fact, sometimes I feel like a juggling octopus!

How much can you juggle?

I imagine many of you can relate: home, yard, kids, pets, spouse, finances; friends, parents, work. Where is the “me time”? Even writing is not a linear job. Writers write, yes, but we also research; brainstorm; market; speak; pitch; query; balance the checkbook, among many others. With all the plate juggling, we may end our day – or hit the afternoon – screaming our lungs out!

Experts agree balancing all that we humans have to do can be difficult, but that (1) balance is important to one’s physical and mental health and (2) “me time” is important. That can include spending alone reading or meditating but it can also include sharing with a partner or friends, such as hiking, skiing, or dancing. While in Arizona I hiked with my husband and had dinner with friends I’d not seen in five years. I also sat on a rock surrounded by tall saguaro cactus overlooking an indigo lake, basking in sunshine and experiencing gratitude for the beauty and solace.

Setting aside time to decompress, to unplug from the microwave society of instant gratification and “by the minute” news blasts. I didn’t check email or look at a website for four days, and I felt refreshed and more content when I returned home. Perhaps that’s not possible for you, to step away from the computer and Internet for that long, but how about one day or a half-day? Take a hike along a trail you’ve wanted to explore but never have. Or spend a weekend ski vacation with your loved one(s), with the promise that no one will turn on the TV or hit the Internet once back in the room. Or, take yourself on these adventures and enjoy the beauty of your surroundings – learn more about the environment you’re visiting. I found out wild burros lived in the park we visited and though we didn’t see any, we drove around longer just to see if we could see them! I also fed parrots at a zoo we visited, and, as you can tell by the photo, I TRULY ENJOYED the experience!

Finding and embracing balance brings greater joy to our lives. We can also discover new ideas, new dreams. I now possesses a greater resolve to become a snowbird. I look toward a future of winter warmth instead of Arctic blasts, and though it will be awhile before I arrive at that juncture, I now possess a greater desire to make that dream happen and will work to accomplish that goal in the years to come (while still finding time to ‘escape’ now and then!).

How do you balance your life, your responsibilities? How do you integrate your writing with your “day job(s) if, like me, writing is not a fulltime career?” Do you take time to decompress and unplug yourself from the electronic age? I took a notebook to Arizona and, when I did write a few times, I wrote ‘the old fashioned way’!

The electronic digital age has many benefits, but we often wrap ourselves tightly around those cords, becoming entangled, choking on the “must dos”. Take time to embrace balance, to unplug now and then, and you’ll discover a beautiful treasure of thanksgiving, happiness, and creativity!