If you’ve ever watched a waitress load up a serving tray or a performer stack up objects to balance on his outstretched arms, the process is deliberate, unhurried, and methodical. A rushed job would most certainly end in a heaping pile of mess.

You and I have lives that at times are piled high, yet our stacks of tasks and responsibilities are rarely ordered or thoughtful. We just sling another item up onto our agenda without much thought as to how it will affect the other items we’ve already committed to carrying or our life’s overall balance. The result is hyper- (too much) activity and hypo- (too little) joy.

What if you began the task of implementing a balanced approach to your days? What if you could actually enjoy the various activities of your day because you were able to be “in the moment” much of the time—not preoccupied with how you’ll accomplish your next moment?

A healthy balance must allow you the time to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength…not my suggestion, but rather Jesus’ (Mark 12:30). If your life is too busy to spend even 20 minutes with your head bowed in prayer and your nose buried in The Book, then everything you set out to do will be off-kilter from the get-go.

Secondly, you must add some “me” time to your schedule, which includes exercise, nutritional fueling times, and engaging in something that brings a smile to your face and rejuvenates your soul. Only after some “He time” and “me time” are set in place can you begin to thoughtfully stack daily work and home responsibilities and community/service activities around them.

Lackluster, un-enjoyed living is the result of heaping up “lighter weight” (less important) tasks which effectively crowd out the “weightier”, core areas of life—time with the Lord and care of His temple (your body). By adjusting your life in these ways you will restore balance, productivity, and great joy…making your life truly a great performance!