When Slow isn’t in the Plans
I thought this week would be my slow week. You know, the week with no appointments. A blank calendar. I’m looking at all the free time and planning out my to-do list. Or maybe planning a Netflix binge and relaxing. Maybe a stack of books….. The point is; as soon as I start planning, the reverse happens. All the free time is totally gobbled up by unexpected errands. Unexpected people and unexpected problems. When life gets too busy when you were expecting slow.
Unexpected Problems = Unexpected Blessings
Last week, our water heater went out. Which shouldn’t feel like a big deal since we live in an apartment and the maintenance people fix it? Except that it’s in our bedroom closet. More specifically in the corner of my bedroom closet. Which meant that I had to empty out almost everything in my closet. I could leave the stuff on the shelves but all the clothes and shoes we emptied out. And piled and piled. Piled on the bathroom counter, on the chair in the bedroom, even on the floor. Which were just too many piles. So I purged and purged. I got rid of 4 bags of clothes. And I still had enough to wear. I was able to bless someone else and my closet is now clean, organized and I love it. I’m not saying every problem will have such a good blessing. I still haven’t figured out the blessing from sickness and I don’t think I will this side of heaven. But I still look for the silver lining.
Evaluating the Cost
We had company last week. We had company every night. I have a hard time saying no. Especially when it’s my children and grandchildren are the ones asking. I love to see them. But sometimes I need to say no. And not only for my sake but for another family member. It was a week that both my daughter and husband worked extra. I had a cold and was still healing from surgery. Sometimes I need to say no when life seems to busy. Sometimes it’s my fault.
How to Slow Down
Making a deliberate decision to slow down when life seems to busy is the first step. I need to stop and pray about the busy things that come up.
Prioritize
I need to look at my priorities and see what fits in. Not everything can be done in every season of life. Even good things are often not the best things. What are your priorities? When planning your week, use that list to order your week. When something comes up, look and see if it fall in with those priorities.
Wait
Pause, don’t say yes right sway. I have a tendency to say yes and regret it later. Most things don’t need an immediate yes. Slow down and count the cost of what this will mean for you.
Say No
You might need to say no to some things. If you say yes to this then you are saying no to something else.
Reschedule
Something may need to be rescheduled. You can’t do 2 things at once. I know, I’ve tried. Something has to give and a lot of time it ends up being sleep.
Find Your Response
Have a canned “reason” at the ready when someone asks you for something. I want to jump in hed first but sometimes get myself in trouble that way. I find I need a buffer to allow myself time to think about what’s best. You know; when you’re bombarded by the PTA committee for an event and don’t know how to say no and find yourself double booked. Yes, I have double booked myself time and time again. “I’ll have to get back to you on that.” is my common response for spur of the moment questions.
When life gets too busy
Prioritize
Wait
Say No
Reschedule
Find your response
How do you slow down when life gets too busy?
Christina Renee
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