I came across this quote in a newspaper or article a long time ago, and was recently talking to a colleague about work/life balance and quickly did a google search to find this quote again (I didn’t feel my summation did the quote justice).

“Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some 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 it.” – Brian Dyson (CEO of Coca Cola)

While I do agree with this quote, there is also a tendency to feel like the balls are dangerously attached to each-other.  While your work ball might be made of rubber, the string (or sometimes a chain) can feel too tightly wound with the other balls.  Drop the work ball, and it might pull down the other balls  Unless you’re independently wealthy of course.

Fortunately, in my experience you can drop that rubber ball a few times before things turn nasty.

This time of year, stress levels are high for most of us.  It’s a busy time with family and friends, it’s the time for the end of year push at work, and it’s also a time where money doesn’t stretch far enough.  With all of that craziness, we all should be sure to keep an eye on what is really important.