How to balance work, running, health, and a social life

It seems like our lives keep getting more and more full and we are being stretched thin and in about a hundred directions at once.  Whether it's kids, being a caregiver for an aging family member, a career that demands long hours and lots of travel, or a multitude of other things, there's never a shortage of something to take up your time (that you just don't have).  So, how do you balance it all without offending people, dropping the ball at work, or driving yourself to sheer exhaustion?

Unfortunately, there's no easy answer to this and I don't think there ever will be.  I struggle with this every single day to no end.  I've got work (which takes me to another state at minimum one day a week every week), my husband and adorable puppy (come on, how can you not want to spend all your time with these two?),

the gym and my training schedule, travel and trips (mostly for running races of course), family, household chores (laundry, dishes, vacuuming, cleaning, car maintenance), meal planning and cooking, my health/doctors appointments, and a social life/friends.  On the surface and to those that haven't experienced the things I'm juggling, it doesn't seem like much, but to me it's impossible to satisfy all these categories and check all the boxes.  Inevitably something has to suffer; I have to prioritize these things each day.  Typically, my top two priorities are work and my health, because they have to be my top two; I don't have an option with these.  The gym and training fall right under my health.  From the outside I know this may appear selfish and wrong to have running above family, but the reality is staying active is the only thing (other than my doctors, medications, and supplements) that improves my health.  By running and staying active I don't need as much medication and it stops me from being so depressed about my health.  When there are days that I'm not able to run or go to the gym, my mental and physical wellness suffers so much, I don't even want to get out of bed the next day.

All the other categories shift order on a daily basis depending on how I'm feeling that day, how busy my workday is and how late it runs, and what sort of commitments have been made.  The thing that never seems to change order in the list though is the social aspect and friends.  I'm sad to say this one falls to last place every time.  I do my best to remember the important things (birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, new jobs and sometimes losing jobs, new babies, difficult family situations, weddings, etc), though it may just be a phone call instead of attending.  It's not that I don't want to go, it's just that I either don't have the time, don't feel well enough, or I'm nervous/uncomfortable.  Yes, nervous and/or uncomfortable.  If it's people I don't know, they won't know about my health but chances are the event will be at a bar/restaurant or at the very least involve food and drinks.  I have juice and only juice for two meals a day; I can't eat fried food, chicken, meat, dairy, seeds, many vegetables, soda, alcohol, acidic foods, and I have to minimize sugar and gluten.  That leaves a very small window of opportunity for me to eat any place other than my own home and if I choose to not eat or just drink water the questions and ridiculing begin which is just unpleasant and sometimes hurtful depending on how someone goes about it and what they say.  In addition to this, I have to take medication a specific amount of time before eating.  I try to be discreet about it, but if someone notices they are quick to ask what it is and what it's for.  Again, uncomfortable and somewhat embarrassing to sit in a public place with people I may/may not know and answer questions about how my stomach is essentially paralyzed and my entire digestive system hates me.  And, people really don't understand when you are sick but don't "look sick".  Trust me, if you would like me to share, I have several thousand pictures from the inside of my organs that do actually "look sick".

Household chores are down at the bottom of the list too.  Lee helps with the dishes but our house always looks like a disaster zone.  To put it in perspective, there are still wrapped Christmas gifts on our kitchen table for friends/family; it's July.  Even with not worrying about every little detail and having a house that is much less than spotless, I've had to skip a lot of social outings and bail on people at the last minute.  Family events, bachelorette parties, birthday parties, baseball and hockey games, holidays, etc.  And, sometimes I manage to attend but I'm feeling so sick it's not enjoyable and I worry that it comes across that I'm not excited or happy for the event and people involved.

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is a few things:

1. We should all try and be sensitive to what others may be going through and not pass judgement or get offended if plans change or we don't seem important to someone else at a given time; 
2. If people do get offended or upset at you for the choices you make, remember that you made that choice for a reason and you're doing the best you can; and
3. If you are my friends or family reading this, please know I'm not avoiding any of you or trying to be rude by not attending events or bailing at the last minute and I truly appreciate the love and support you offer and most importantly the patience you have with me.

All images are the property of Amy Marcum unless stated otherwise and may not be used without the written consent of Amy Marcum.