THE JUGGLE IS REAL
- Christen Moore
- Aug 31, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 5, 2022
Why Being Busy Can be Unproductive
Frazzled Prayer:
Dear Jesus, I pray today with my sweet Frazzled Friends that in the spiraling chaos and calamity of life we could stop the spinning plates long enough to tell you how grateful we are for everything we have been given. That we could sing praises to you for the love you have surrounded us with and remember to honor those gifts every minute of every day! Amen!
Busyness is practically a disease today. We all cram as much as we can into our seemingly limited time. Yet being busy isn’t the same as getting things done.
Haven’t you had a day where you felt like you didn’t have a minute to spare, yet you still felt like you didn’t accomplish anything? Nearly everyone has.
There are so many reasons for this, but the most important is the challenge that it is to prioritize and focus on the things that really matter.
These are some of the common symptoms of busyness without a purpose:
· You’re worried today about how busy you’re going to be tomorrow.
· You’re annoyed that the people around you never seem to be as busy as you are.
· You spend your evenings thinking about all the stuff you didn’t get done today.
· You can’t pay attention during conversations because you’re too busy thinking about all the things you have to get done.
·You eat in your car.
If that sounds like you, try these ideas to free up time in your life for some things and most especially the people that really matter.
1. Prioritize. Decide what the most important missions are today. How do you do that?
Start with your commissioner.. Jesus. Give just 5 minutes of your morning to Jesus and ask Him .. " Lord what is it YOU have planned for me today? How can I bring joy into your kingdom? I promise ... if you give Jesus this first 5 minutes of your day.. it WILL be returned to you 10 fold. If you don’t choose how you are going to go about today, you’re choosing to let the world and all of its distractions decide your priorities for you. Dictate the direction of your day by starting with a conversation with God.
Mark12:30-31 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’g31The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’h No other commandment is greater than these.”
2. Notice how or when you’re stalling and why.
Many times, we intentionally avoid doing what we know we should be doing. We don’t want to make that difficult phone call or work on that report we’ve been dreading for weeks. We don't want to face the challenges that we perceive are ahead of us.. oh but what blessings lie beyond if we will just turn our attentions to the things God has called us to. Trust Him to stand in the gaps where the bridge seems too far to cross.
· We are all excellent at inventing other things to do that aren't really on our mission agenda. Notice the things you do when you don’t want to do what you should be doing. It might be cleaning your desk, checking email, or getting coffee. When you notice your ‘stalling’ behaviors, it’s easier to catch yourself and get back on track.
Psalm 119:59-60I pondered the direction of my life,
and I turned to follow your laws.
60I will hurry, without delay,
to obey your commands.
3. Keep you to do list short. A good idea is to make a list of only the big things that you know God has called you to.
Ie: Love Him, Love Your neighbor, love your family, and the great call to share the Gospel. No matter what else you do today.. if you make these your first priorities everything else will trickle down. You may not feel like you have accomplished much when at the end of the day your dusting hasn't been done, or you didn't perform your highest on a job, the dog didn't get a bath or you didn't get to water the garden.. paint the room.. ect. But you will rest well knowing you spent the extra 30 minutes on the phone with your daughter or son who was in crisis. Or took the time to hug your spouse extra long at the end of a hard day. Speaking the language of the Love of Jesus takes just a few moments here and there. Don't over do your daily task list so much that you don't have time to share a smile and a laugh.
Phillipians 2:1-2 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
4. Measure yourself.
As you get to know God better, and begin to understand what He has called you to.. write it down. Write down the gifts he has given you.. abilities.. desires.. family.. friends.. ministries.. write down the things God has placed in your life. Make those things a kind of "measuring" tool.. are you functioning in those arenas or spending more time outside of them.
Matthew 25:29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.
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