i have a constant beach ball on one area of my Mac screen

The beach ball means a process is not done running. Identify the application by looking in the upper left of the display when the beach ball appears, then change to another app and then use Force Quit to quit the app that is continuing to run. If that does not work, please reset the NVRAM and restart in Safe Mode per the directions in:

How to reset NVRAM on your Mac

Use safe mode to isolate issues with your Mac - Apple Support

Sounds like you have either a failed process, a resource problem or a hardware problem.

To look for a failed process,

1) Go to: Apple > Force Quit > note and Quit any App that is in RED

see >How to force an app to quit on your Mac - Apple Support

2) Go to: Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor > Quit any process in RED

see > How to use Activity Monitor on your Mac - Apple Support

To look for resource and hardware problems,

1) run EtreCheck Pro and post back here with the Report

see > https://apps.apple.com/us/app/etrecheck/id1423715984?mt=12

2) run the Apple Diagnostics Test

see > How to use Apple Diagnostics on your Mac - Apple Support