Motherhood: Spinning Plates

You know, lately, I have been feeling like as a mother I have all these plates spinning (one for each child, one for my marriage, one for church, one for housework, etc....) and most of the time I feel like I can keep two, maybe three plates spinning, but the rest keep falling and breaking. And lately, I have been a monster to my children which is unacceptable.
So last night I looked up this video to watch an actual plate spinner work his magic. This is what I have gleaned from watching a master:
1. he has a plan
2. he has practiced and probably continues to practice. He didn't become a master in a day or even in a week.
3. the plates don't all get attention simultaneously
4. the plates don't get spun once, and expected to stay up on their own. they get a little nudge to keep going repeatedly
5. he keeps them spinning by gentle, controlled movements, not by wildy flailing around or being rough.
6. he keeps a smile on his face
7.he expects wobbling and doesn't get frustrated. just addresses the wobbling object and moves on.

So to keep my plates spinning:
1. I need to take more time to plan out my day, my month, my methods
2. I need to be patient with myself, and keep practicing being a good mom, wife, etc.
3. I can't meet everyone's needs at once.
4. I need to expect to help a child over and over again, to revisit finances often, to nurture my marriage regularly, daily effort to strengthen my testimony, etc.
5. I need to be gentle, kind, loving. Being rough, loud, demanding, or angry doesn't not keep plates spinning
6. A smile makes everything go smoother
7. I shouldn't get frustrated by my faults, my kids faults, or even situations. Just expects bumps in the road, address the problem, and move past the issue. focus on what can be done, not what is happening or what happened.


How do you keep your plates spinning?