Do you mean, what do I suggest doing when it’s equally easy to add something new to the list vs fixing a ball that’s been dropped?
I think this approach is best used when fixing a dropped ball is costly. Consider the example of taking fifteen children on a hike. Fixing the situation if you have fourteen children at the end of the hike is stressful.
I was just thinking about if you could extend the practice to scenarios where adding something to the list would equal the value of the ball, like if the time and value needed to complete the list approached that of finding a lost child. Perhaps you could handle more balls if you allowed some to fall?
Not all tasks/responsibilities count as “balls” in this metaphor. Continuing with the hike example; the teacher’s task list might include
Drink water
Avoid trail hazards like poison ivy
Stop for a snack
Talk about different plants
Answer student questions
None of which count as a “ball”—you do as much of the “nice to have” stuff as the (time/energy) budget allows after ensuring that no student gets lost.
I’m not sure I understand the question.
Do you mean, what do I suggest doing when it’s equally easy to add something new to the list vs fixing a ball that’s been dropped?
I think this approach is best used when fixing a dropped ball is costly. Consider the example of taking fifteen children on a hike. Fixing the situation if you have fourteen children at the end of the hike is stressful.
I was just thinking about if you could extend the practice to scenarios where adding something to the list would equal the value of the ball, like if the time and value needed to complete the list approached that of finding a lost child. Perhaps you could handle more balls if you allowed some to fall?
Not all tasks/responsibilities count as “balls” in this metaphor. Continuing with the hike example; the teacher’s task list might include
Drink water
Avoid trail hazards like poison ivy
Stop for a snack
Talk about different plants
Answer student questions
None of which count as a “ball”—you do as much of the “nice to have” stuff as the (time/energy) budget allows after ensuring that no student gets lost.