How can we avoid feeling rushed? In a culture that places so much value on being busy, it can be challenging to find some calm in the chaos. We need to stop thinking of busyness as a badge of honour and take back some control over our schedules.
Slowing down takes conscious effort and intention. In order to prioritise, it is crucial that we understand and articulate our personal and family values. We need to establish good boundaries in order to decline some of those obligations.
Dr Monica recently joined us on Rise & Shine to discuss how we can manage our schedules wisely. She believes that being busy doesn’t always mean being productive, and that we should be careful to make that distinction.
Set Boundaries
‘We have to assess the situation personally and with our family,’ says Monica. ‘This is something that I’ve been very conscious about as a business owner, a mum and a wife. If we want to take ourselves off that wheel of busyness, we have to put some boundaries in place. As rigid as it may sound, if that’s what’s going to give you back your time and the things that matter to you, then do it.’
Monica says if you are finding yourself at the end of the day feeling like you haven’t accomplished anything, it’s time to find out what’s not working for you. She advises against filling our days with things that don’t matter.
‘As a business owner myself,’ says Monica, ‘I’ve had to outsource a few things. I don’t want to be going through the motions of every day and still feeling rushed to meet deadlines. We kind of miss those little moments in life when we are always rushing.’
Practice the Sabbath
For Monica, one of the best decisions she made was to practice the Sabbath. She says it doesn’t matter when you do it, but it has to be a conscious effort to rest. Find what works for you, whether it’s a social media detox or some quiet time amid God’s creation.
‘It’s just been life giving for me,’ she says. ‘But it was a decision that I had to make to step away. It had to be intentional. It’s had such a beautiful ripple effect on my kids and my family too. We often go for walks together or sit in the garden.’
‘It’s that internal peace of doing nothing. And it’s okay to do nothing. It’s okay to just sit and look at the trees and delight in God’s creation.’
Listen to Dr Monica’s full interview on Rise & Shine below:
