How we spend our time can be divided into three groups, or "jars". These would be the necessary tasks jar, the voluntary tasks jar and the happiness jar.
Every day, we spend time filling the necessary tasks jar. We fill this jar with useful things, like making money, housework, buying food. We then fill another jar with voluntary tasks. These are things that we do for others, but we may not enjoy them, such as taking children to activities and cooking family meals. Those jars are very important. If we don't fill them each day, our family won't be happy.
However, we often forget to fill the third jar — the happiness jar. This is the jar that we fill with activities to make us happy. Is your happiness jar sometimes empty at the end of the day? We all have days like that. Between doing all the necessary and voluntary tasks, time flies quickly and before we know it, it is time for bed.
That is why each day we try to fill our happiness jar. Most days, I fill mine by going to the ballroom dance(社交舞) class with my husband and daughter. Between the music, the dancing and the friendship among the students, I always leave classes happier than when I entered.
Music is another way to make me happy. This week, I was glad to take part in an orchestra(管弦乐队) practice at my church(教堂). A small group of us met to practice Christmas music for a church service. It was a time of fun, friendship and music making. At the end of the evening, my happiness jar was full.
This week, think about how you spent your time. Are you doing enough activities that bring joy to your life? Or are the necessary and voluntary tasks eating up all your time? Try to find ways to achieve a balance(获得平衡) among your three jars. At the end of the day, hopefully we've done all we can to make sure that our happiness jar is filled.
