Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Just a place holder thought - I read the phrase "have to juggle their time" this morning regarding holiday plans and busy families. I know what it means on one level. People do have to decide how to use time and can feel pulled in many directions, especially at holidays - but something bothers me about the concept of juggling time. Time's something we're in not something we hold - a river we float down, doing what we do while we float - at least that's the way I see it. How can you juggle a river? I'll think about this and maybe write more about it later. For you who comment, any thoughts?

4 comments:

Ruth said...

I think it's like trying to juggle while floating--or trying to float in multiple rivers.

Time does always flow by and we don't hold it. But I think the phrase is related to "juggling priorities": i.e. we have to try to juggle the things we value: time with family, work, preparing for the holidays, etc. It is sloppy language but I'm not sure people think we hold time--I think they may think we wrestle/wrangle it but not that we manage to hold it. I think it's supposed to me juggling time SPENT on various things--like juggling roles and we DO have to do that (or at least feel we do).

I've been trying to think about this idea--juggling roles. And it makes me think of the phrase "work-life balance" I remember Dr. Hoffman's interesting point on this: it SHOULDN'T really be a balance-- who says it should be 50-50? What percentage DO we really want ideally?

Victoria said...

Thanks for the thoughtful coment Ruth. That really makes sense - juggling roles not juggling time. I prefer to think of shifting roles rather than juggling them, but at least that comment makes sense.

As far as how to balance roles, for me its definitely a shifting equation, and more than two roles. This fall has felt good much of the tie, like the amount and quality of time I have been putting into various roles fits my values reasonably well. Other times that hasn't been as true.

Anonymous said...

What a thought-provoking question, Victoria. I have heard this expression for years, but I just accepted it at face value rather than thinking how we really cannot hold time, that it just flows.

Ruth, I like your explanation...that it is about juggling of priorities within time.

One thing I was thinking today is how little 'time' there seems to be. I walked with my friend who walks with me...and I told her I didn't know how I ever found time to work as I am busy all day without work, 'juggling' time or tasks, never standing still.

mary j. said...

I wrote a comment here earlier today, but I must have hit preview instead of publish. Any chance you got it anyway??