balance

One thing I have been thinking about today is balance.

I work a full time job that has nothing to do with etsy, and which tends to take more then the normal 40 hours a week. I also run two etsy shops, which you all know can take quite a bit of time, effort and thought. I am trying to learn more every day about silversmithing and practice and experiment so I can continue to get better. I have a dog and a cat and a husband to take care of, feed, and not ignore, a house to clean, and a yard to try to make presentable. Plus I do try to keep a up relationships with a few good friends and my family who are all far away, and I try to have a least a little bit of a social life. Now I am sure many women out there are pulled in even more directions then that.
But in my little life, those are pretty much the main ones.

And often times I can more or less stay on top of it all, but it does seem like when something has to give it is usually the things that I do for myself. I do sometimes need some alone time, time to relax and unwind and read a book or do whatever I want, that is not work related in any way. Sometimes I need this to stay sane. But for some reason I am far too quick to give it up when time gets tight.

When I do this I think that all the other things on my to do list suffer. Its like when you are on an airplane and they tell you to always put the oxygen mask on yourself first and then put it on others who may need your help. If you cant breath you cant be much help to anyone else.

Even though logically I know this I still tend to let that be the first thing to go. I am working on it. But if any of you out there have any ideas as to how to bring more balance to my life I would love to hear them.