When every task seems to be labeled as "IMPORTANT," it’s difficult to determine which ones to prioritize. As a graduate student, I'd like to share a theory I learned as an undergraduate that helped me reduce stress and improve my relationships with professors and peers: the glass ball, rubber ball theory.
The glass ball, rubber ball theory, originally known as the "Five Balls of Life" theory, was introduced at the 1991 Georgia Tech commencement speech by former CEO of Coca-Cola, Brian Dyson. According to Dyson, you could assign the five essential aspects of life as balls: work, family, health, friends and spirit.
Dyson suggested that the work ball is made of rubber, a material where it could bounce back if dropped. The other four balls are made of glass, so they need to be prioritized; otherwise, you risk the consequences of shattering them. This was a good theory to start with, but like all good theories, it needs to be tested and improved over time.
When I was introduced to glass balls and rubber balls, it was presented as an idea without rigid boundaries dictating how tasks should be categorized. I didn’t have to determine whether something was related to work or health, but rather I needed to discern what was important to me and my goals.
As a student, I have academic goals. As a student leader working on campus, I have professional goals. However, I struggle to prioritize my well-being as much as the other "IMPORTANT" tasks. Neglecting myself by piling on stress and not taking breaks often ended in burnout. This idea of glass balls and rubber balls helped me sort through what was truly important to me, including taking care of myself.
Glass balls are tasks or responsibilities that, if dropped, can have significant consequences for both ourselves and those around us. They can include commitments to others, such as group projects, as well as personal care and well-being, like getting enough sleep and spending time with friends.
Rubber balls can be split into two categories when identifying their performance. Light rubber balls bounce back up when dropped. These are tasks that can be easily rescheduled, like meeting a friend, or pushed to the next day, like folding your laundry. Heavy rubber balls are the tasks that don’t come back up when dropped, but don’t pose major consequences.
In college, I have heavy rubber balls for things I like, but are not necessary. Club meetings and self-driven projects often fall in this area because while they might positively impact me, other more pressing matters may need my attention.
The important thing to remember about dropping a rubber ball is to communicate that you are doing it. Whether that be to yourself, or to professors, co-workers and peers, communicating that you need more time on a task or asking for help is much easier before you drop the ball rather than afterward. You may pass the ball for someone else to juggle if you have too much on your plate, but they won’t be able to take the ball from you if you don’t communicate with them beforehand.
As the year progresses, I encourage you to find a way to manage your workload whether you try the glass ball, rubber ball method or something else! As a student, developing a task management method that works for you is a skill you can bring with you for the rest of your life.
Acadia Pinault is a first-year graduate student majoring in Student Affairs in Higher Education. They joined The Miami Student as a writer in Fall 2024 and are a graduate assistant for the Office of Residence Life.
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