Too many irons?

Sometimes when I talk to friends I haven’t seen in awhile, they say they’re amazed by how many things I’m doing:

–taking improv classes
–singing in a chorus
–working on both new fiction and non-fiction projects while submitting completed manuscripts and proposals
–editing published friends’ proposals and manuscripts
–freelance editing
–marketing to get more voiceover/on camera clients
–handling my dad’s estate matters
–auditioning and completing acting jobs
–serving on the national board of an organization w/10,000 members and on the editorial board of the CBA’s magazine
–etc.

Of course I’m not doing all these things at once, plus I have the eight hours a day most people spend in day jobs to fill. I’d bet if you listed all the things you do, you’d be surprised at how many you came up with.

Can you have too many irons in the fire? Would you get better results if you focused on a few things at a time?

Should I, for example, stop pursing acting opportunities so I have more time to spend on writing and marketing my writing? Or vice versa? If I gave up the chorus and improv classes, I’d have 4.5 more hours each week, plus the time it takes to get there and back, to work.

For the Gainfully Unemployed, finding the best balance between work, activities and social life can be a challenge. I have actor friends who I don’t think work hard enough, but complain that they aren’t getting enough auditions/jobs/money. Yet I think I put forth a lot of effort to get those things, and I sometimes have the same complaints. Will my hours spent pay off in the long run because I’m building contacts and making connections? Or do I need to work harder?