photo by: http://www.caranddriver.com
You’ve heard the saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”
Well, that’s both true and false.
False because there will be times that get so rough that the absolute best thing we can do is take a moment (or two) to simply stop and breathe.
True because after taking that short but very necessary rest, we must stand up and push through the life ‘sludge’ that lies before us.
The irony here is this. If we never stop and always keep our foot on the gas we will eventually burn out! Yes…you too! It’s called being human and not Jesus. On the flip side, if we stop without ever shifting things back into ‘drive’ things won’t get done. We will slip into mediocrity and get comfortable. It’s in this place where we quickly become ineffective in ministry and in life.
Personally, I’m feeling the need to shift into ‘neutral’ for some rest. Over the past six weeks I’ve been heavily involved in creating a new ministry, leading at a summer camp, taking the riegns on another task-oriented ministry, and now making my way through my oldest son’s Hish School graduation.
Oh…did I mention I’m sick? Allergies are literally kicking my butt. So yes….I’m both sick and tired.
Here’s what I’m doing about it, and I’d challenge you to try this as well.
– Recognize that you need rest. Notice this when you can still determine to sit down on our own will power. If you don’t take notice of your own fatigue you will instead trip and fall without any amount of grace. This is usually noticed by those around us whether we like it or not.
– Rest! Just stop. Take an hour…a day…or three days to physically and mentally rest from your task lists and worries. Doing this does not make you a failure, it prevents you from becoming one!
– Resume work. Stop…..don’t just jump back in head first. Get back into things with a strategic plan. After resting, take a fresh look at your task list. Prioritize emails, phone calls, and projects starting with the most important ones first. Space them out over the next few days, allowing yourself the freedom to not get everything done instantly.
All this relates back to the old saying that “Leadership is a marathon, not a sprint.” And this is a matter of self-leadership.
So, are you sufficiently rested? Are you healthy today? Do you have any tricks or advice to add?
I’d love to hear your comments or a voicemail.
Brent Dumler 