Applying the Glass Ball Theory to PsA

The glass ball theory is a metaphor for how we balance different priorities in our lives. Here’s how I interpret it when it comes to life with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Not too long ago, I read an article about the glass ball theory. It describes the concept that we all have five balls to juggle, each representing work, family, health, friends, and spirit. The ball representing work is rubber, while the other four are glass.

The idea is that while we still have to juggle all five, the only aspect of our lives that will bounce back after being dropped is our careers: to drop the other four would cause irreparable damage.

As a naturally anxious person with PsA, I immediately had my own thoughts about the theory. The point is not lost on me — I understand and agree that the four elements made of glass are the most precious things in our lives and should be a priority.

However, life is more complex than that. When you have a chronic illness, your priorities shift a lot, not just at the time of diagnosis but as your health fluctuates. And life rarely stops for anything (unless our health forces us to), so there’s a lot more to this balancing act than four fragile balls and a bouncy one: It’s about learning to adapt and prioritize.

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Health is the heaviest ball

Living with PsA, I try my best to keep my health ball in the air — it is the most fragile while also being the heaviest. Caring for my chronic illness takes up a lot of my time and energy. And while all the balls are important, I can’t keep juggling if I don’t take care of my health.

During severe flares, the health ball feels like a boulder. Managing anything beyond your health is challenging when you’re rundown and inflamed. Flares and not feeling well make it hard to keep the other balls in the air.

I will be the first to admit I’ve dropped the ball on friends and family when in a flare. Generally, they were understanding, and our relationships “bounced” back up. Spirit can be a lot harder to recover from and is often necessary for your health and recovery as well — for that, I have regular therapy appointments and gentle hobbies.

Balancing health and other priorities

It can be hard to maintain my health while juggling other responsibilities. Life doesn’t slow down or stop because of our health. We still face family emergencies, financial strain, final exams, and stressful periods at work. And stress can bring on flares, making things all the more difficult to manage.

For better or worse, there are times when other priorities draw my attention away from my health. It doesn’t mean my health gets dropped entirely, but it’s hard to give it all the care and attention it requires.

Often, this means needing a period immediately after that devoted to getting my health back on track. It can be a vicious cycle, and it’s best to avoid making this a habit. But it will happen to most of us sometimes.

Jobs are a complicated priority

While I like the sentiment of the career ball being rubber and quickly bouncing back, the reality can be much more complex. Yes, we shouldn’t sacrifice everything for the sake of our jobs. But many people depend on their jobs.

In the United States, many people rely on their jobs for health insurance. And regardless of your country, we all have bills to pay and need to survive.

It should be easier to treat the career ball as rubber. We should have more support for the chronically ill, but unfortunately, many have to fight and even hire lawyers to qualify for disability pay. And while there are anti-discrimination laws and job accommodations, sometimes, those things aren’t enough to give employees a better quality of life.

So, while I agree that a career should be rubber, unfortunately, it’s often one that many of us cannot afford not to treat as glass.

Many different balls in the air

As our lives go on, our priorities shift, and circumstances change. Sometimes, one has a lot more on their plate than before. As our lives change, the amount of balls and their materials change.

For example, the family ball becomes heavier when you become a parent. You may also have a ton of other balls to juggle between managing new responsibilities and your child’s schedule!

Life with chronic illness also brings a lot of other balls to juggle. Appointments, medication, navigating insurance, learning about your condition, and so many other things take up so much mental space, too. And frankly, I would argue each individual chronic illness should receive its own ball since it often has to be managed separately.

Does a glass ball always shatter?

As an anxious, type A person, I hate to think of these important subjects as glass balls that might shatter and be irreparable. But I always remind myself that a broken glass object can often be glued back together.

There’s also something to be said about how breaking a fall can be the difference between the ball shattering and being unharmed. A ball dropped from a high height would break, but a failed attempt to catch it could break its fall, making the impact not so bad. My point is that your best effort counts (and your best effort isn’t draining yourself).

And on a more literal note, very rarely will you drop a ball and lose it all: We have many other little balls representing elements of the main categories. Dropping the ball and missing a friend’s event might lead to hard feelings, but it doesn’t mean the friendship is shattered forever.

Everyone lives the glass ball theory differently

I was grateful to hear I wasn’t alone in applying my own interpretation. Mothers, teachers, and others have all put their own spin on the theory. I’m glad so many of us share the same sentiment. Yet, it’s interesting to see how others cope with juggling in different ways.

Living with PsA means learning to live with flexibility. There are times when you feel pretty good and can take on a lot, and there are times when you feel like you’re just holding on. It’s a lot to manage while juggling so many things. So, I think my biggest takeaway is to be kind to yourself, prioritize as you need to, and remember that glass can be glued back together.