This might tell you something about me, whether you think I’m old-fashioned, old in age, or just a lover of paper things, but I love paper calendars and planners! I like looking at the spiral notebook style calendar to write out my month, and just a few days ago, I flipped those delicate pages to August. To some of my readers, this means the countdown begins to how many weeks are left of summer and how they dread the s-c-h-o-o-l word returning to Instagram posts and Target stores, beginning to clear the back wall for supplies and backpacks. Even though I was homeschooled and had tutoring most summers to keep me on track, I remember the feeling of going back to being busy and having tasks to finish that I penciled in my paper calendar to get started, wrap it up, or finish before the due date. Although when I look back at my junior high and high school years, there is only one thing that hasn’t changed, even as a young woman working, trying to schedule and coordinate volunteers, writing lessons, keeping a blog, and fitting in my tasks. The word busy doesn’t ever really stop, does it?
The spring semester is busy. Summer has its business. The fall semester comes, and it is the best season of all, but it fills up so quickly. Then, before you know it, during the fall semester, we have holidays to add to those months… How can I prepare for all of that and not drown in business? Where do I fit in my dreams, hobbies, and personal growth in all that I’m supposed to do?
Well, can I encourage you? Business never stops unless you take time to make margin for those things that don’t naturally fit your lifestyle or season of life. You must choose to make space and begin setting aside certain times, days, every other week, and goals to receive that different pace. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy or natural, and like anything, it takes time and discipline to stop and make time for that thing that you may not be able to give your full attention to, but you can fit it in. Jesus shows us in His own life on earth that He needed time to separate from all He was doing and took time to pray, recover, and receive rest.
So, as you are going back into another season of whatever you are currently walking in life, let me give you some tips and tricks I’ve found helpful when I’ve felt consumed by busyness.
1) Lay it all out.
Like I mentioned before, I’m a paper calendar and planner girl, but you like to visualize your months, that’s up to preference, but I think it is so important that you look at those weeks and write out either one day or space within a day where you are going to set time for whatever refuels you. I like taking my AirPods and listening to a podcast or music during my lunch break or wheeling around my work building to just get outside and out of my office space. I’ll scroll through Pinterest to get my creative side out to inspire my next post. Whatever yours is, write it down or put it in your phone calendar as a daily reminder to get out of the busy.
2) Don’t let Busy run your thoughts and words.
I don’t like using the word busy when I can help it. I think it makes our thoughts stressed and clouded by our feelings about what we are working on. Busy isn’t a bad thing or a wrong thing, but if it becomes our immediate response to everything, it begins to control us. It begins to affect others around us, too. A co-worker and friend of mine came to my office space and asked how I was doing, and my response was “I’m so busy,” which was true, but my tone told a lot more than my immediate response. She leans in close and holds onto one of my wheelchair handles, which she had full permission to do as she was a close friend of mine, and begins to pull me away from my computer. “We need to move you around, your business is dragging you away from the joy of what you’re doing.” We went for a brief walk, and we talked, and my spirit lifted after a few short moments with her, and when I came back, I could carry on with a different attitude. I enjoy what I do, but because of the “to-do” list, I got swallowed up in the task and forgot the joy behind doing what I do. Is your busy running you, invading your thoughts, and coming out of your mouth? If it is, you need to do step one and be reminded that God never gives us more than what we can handle and that there is joy in the work if we choose to have a grateful heart and a sound mind.
3) Prepare for Busy but add Fun
When I know I’m going to be doing a lot of titius work, something that helps me is having some fun within that time of productivity. I love fall, as I’ve mentioned in previous posts, but one thing I love doing in my day-to-day work is adding that piece into my life to add a little hidden joy. I brought a pumpkin to my office desk as a little nod to my love of pumpkins. Washi tape that adds a little personality to my notebooks for work and blogging ideas. Listening to musicals while cutting out dozens of crafts for my lesson coming up gives me a story to sing out instead of focusing on my sore hands and my busy work ahead. Knowing that our work will be in front of us also gives us the space to prepare for what could make that task a little sweeter and enjoyable. What is your fun in your busy life?
Preparation can be easy for some and difficult for others. Planning can feel like it takes a lot of extra headspace and time, but what I’ve learned is that when I can look ahead to something, I get motivated to do my best in the work ahead of me. It also helps prepare my heart for maybe something God is trying to teach me in those days before the weekend or a fun thing. Maybe he’s teaching me patience. Maybe he’s teaching me to enjoy the simplicities of doing what I’m doing right now. Maybe He’s asking me to slow down from the busyness to notice something I may not have in the past because my gaze was on something I put there instead of His gaze. Did I get so busy that I forgot that Jesus wants to be my beginning and end to my day? Are we leaving time in our day for Him to speak and stir in our hearts, or is your “busy” life too full for Him? These categories apply to being with Him, too.
1) Lay it out.
Are you laying out time in your week or in parts of your day for Him? Do you feel like you can be honest and lay it all out in front of Him at the end of the day, filled with business that you need His strength and grace to continue your tasks, homework, and everything else you’ve put in your semester? Did you put margin in your life for Him?
2) Don’t let Busy run your thoughts and words.
Are you so busy that your attitude, thoughts, and words don’t line up with how God asks us to be around others? Are your actions telling more than you’ve realized? What is your personality at work and school, engaged and willing to learn, or negative because everyone is expressing how busy and tired they are, so you are too?
3)Prepare for Busy but add Fun
Are you embracing both the busy and the fun in the season of life you are in with God? When we are so busy, we either don’t talk to God at all or when we remember our prayers, they are full of stress, and we forget gratitude. I’ve been here, and I’m not writing this to judge but to share that when I’ve been so busy and consumed by my own life and leave God out of it, I get more drained than just my body, but my mind and spirit also dwindle. Jesus wants to be with you in all of it! He’s with us always, so why don’t we share the joys and allow Him to remind us of the laughter amid day-to-day ordeals? One thing I like to do after a long day is once I’m all in my bed, ready for sleep, I will have an open conversation with Him as if He’s my future husband sitting with me in bed, and we are processing our day together. He’s such a good listener because He just lets me go on and on, no matter what the day held, and He’s not judging me at all! After my ranting, He is so faithful to remind me of the sweet moments during the day. My pumpkin sticky notes, the worship song I found during break, and even that one funny video my friend sent me of a cat dancing with a coffee cup randomly in the afternoon! When I laugh, I know Jesus is laughing with me.
Readers, as you head into your fall, I wanted to write this because I know what all of us are thinking. “How am I going to make it? I’m not ready to start up reality again.” I know life will throw us for a loop and give us busy seasons of life that seem so impossible to get through, but I truly believe that in the busy, God gives us ways to make our lives full of His goodness. So find ways in your life to lay it out, watch your attitude, and sprinkle in the little fun moments to be able to look back at this semester and say, “I’ve been so busy, but here are some things I’m so grateful I experienced because I was prepared for the busy.”
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