#anchorwords - BALANCE

The concept of 'balance' in the life of a working mother feels pretty much impossible. Despite the effort that we put into seeking that idea of balance, we never seem to get there and it never feels balanced enough regardless of how hard we try. *sigh*

I'm absolutely positive that I'm not alone in feeling like true 'balance' is just about impossible to achieve.

I've recently come to the understanding that seeking balance on a daily basis probably isn't possible, but looking at the bigger picture - like by the week or month - a different type of balance might actually be possible. I've adjusted my expectations of what and how much I can do in any given day and have started focusing on finding balance during the week.

During a given week, I attempt to balance how much I work with how much time I'm spending with my family, I balance housework with being a vegetable on the couch, healthy food with junk food... you get the idea. I figure if there's some semblance of balance in these things, I must be doing OK - right?!

"Happiness is not a matter of intensity, but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony" Thomas Merton

I also consider 'balance' in my classroom - as a teacher focus on balancing direct-instruction with student-led activities, academic work with fun activities, high-energy with calming activities etc. We can't expect our students (or ourselves) to constantly engage in highly academic, teacher-led activities - that's just exhausting for everyone! Striving for balance in the classroom aims to maximize the potential for student learning and enrich their learning experience without making us teachers completely bananas!

How to you approach the idea of 'balance' in your life?