Most
individuals consider themselves to be busy. Many of us are completely overwhelmed.
At any given moment, there can be multiple
demands on our time and resources.
Frankly, I
often feel like a highly skilled juggler. I usually have four to five huge
responsibilities to manage at a time. If I don’t push myself to keep up with
all of them--if I drop the ball--I’ll “fail”. The audience will boo me off the
stage, and I’ll probably lose my job.
That’s the
reality of any kind of entertainment: If you don’t perform well, you lose your
audience.
Luckily, some
of us are a little more forgiving in the real world. We know we can’t demand
perfection in every area. It’s not
possible to fulfill multiple roles in an absolutely flawless manner:
- Parent
- Business executive
- Chauffeur
- Personal chef
- Family Nurse/Doctor
You know
what? That’s okay. It’s not healthy to insist on, or expect, a gold-medal
performance constantly. This PowerPoint image shows us why:
The truth is
that every one of us is dealing with limitations of some kind. That’s why we
have to give ourselves a break. We’re all human.
A few months
ago, I came across some great tips for getting rid of stress Here they are,
with some added comments:
Don’t Overcommit
It’s better
to do a few tasks well than many tasks poorly. Certain personality types are
especially prone to take on a tremendous amount of responsibilities. However,
they often complete none of them, or only a few of them. Such an attitude isn’t
practical. A wise person knows how much they can truly handle.
A former volunteer at my place of
work is no longer going there. She needs to take care of her elderly, ailing
husband at home.
Prioritize
Each person
only has 24 hours in a day. We must choose wisely how we use them. There will
always be “urgent” tasks fighting
for our attention. On the other hand, those duties won’t always be “important”. That’s why we may choose not to accomplish
them.
I had bills to pay yesterday, but I
didn’t get that done. It was more
important to spend quality time with my family.
Don’t Procrastinate
There’s a
famous saying: “The road to He** is paved with good intentions.” That might
seem harsh, but it’s still true. Appropriate actions will usually move us
forward in life, while merely “planning” to do something won’t.
The longer
we put something off, the more it weighs heavily on our minds. Pretty soon, it
gets to the point where we don’t want to finish the project at all. It holds us
down like a 50-lb. weight on our stomach.
I have been planning to de-clutter my
dining-room table for months. This project has become the elephant in the room
that nobody talks about.
Pray
Prayer is
necessary to keep us connected to divine help and guidance. Human power and
knowledge is limited; divine knowledge and power isn’t. When we procrastinate
praying, don’t prioritize it, or overcommit our lives, we invite anxiety in. End
of story.
My Conclusion
“I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in
you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
(NIV)
Life is
getting more and more complicated. There’s no way we can accomplish every job
that’s given to us. That’s why each person needs to seek divine help and make
wise decisions about how to spend his precious time.
Related Posts
How do you plan to de-stress?
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