It’s been quite a while since you heard from me or seen any recent posts from me on social media. I’ve been busy working on a big project and I’ve had to adjust my priorities in this season. I can’t wait to tell you more about this project, so stay turned for that exciting announcement!
This project has me thinking about the various priorities we have in difference seasons of our life and leadership. I love the fall and some of the changes it brings, especially the changing color of the leaves. For many of us, fall also brings the start of something or the restarting of something. School starts, kids sports resume, ministry usually ramps up with new programs, and it might be your last quarter of the year at work and you need to focus on reaching your goals. We can often find ourselves in a season with too much on our plate, and we can’t possibly do it all. Or we try to do it all and end up frustrated and exhausted, not accomplishing what we wanted to. But what can we do? Most of the things on our plate are important, but there just isn’t enough time to get it all done. Sometimes this means that we need to change our focus, move into a new season (like I had to) to make room for something else.
I remember talking to my coach about all the things that I had to do and that there wasn’t enough time. She helped me realize that my issue was not with managing my time. For me it was a question of priorities and learning to say no. It’s also a question of capacity. Not just time, but our physical, emotional and mental capacity. Some of what we’re doing is life draining and not life giving. I want more life-giving things in my life, don’t you?
The Bible tells us in Ecclesiastes 3:1, For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. Seasons have a beginning and end, it’s important to recognize when it’s time to move forward and make a change.But how do we choose what’s right for us in this season?
Here are a few ideas to help you get started.
- Identity your priorities – Make a list of your priorities and what you value in this season. Without knowing what you value you can’t make space for the things that really matter. We can end up spending all of our time and energy on things that really aren’t that important. Like binge watching a new show, or scrolling endlessly through social media to name a few. Maybe that means you step away from TV or social media for a season to doing something else you value more.
- Plan your week – Take sometime to write out the seven days of the week with time slots and plan how you’ll spend your time. This might feel hard at first, but one of my coaching clients did this and it’s really helped her. You can visualize how and where you’re spending your time and make adjustments as needed.
- Review and adjust – How often has someone asked you how you are and your response is, ‘I’m so busy”? This can be a sign that it’s time to stop and review and adjust your schedule. Take a look at where you’re spending your time. We all have things we like to do, want to do and need to do. But are your priorities and what you value aligned?
- Make tough decisions – What if something new comes along that you really want to do? You have to decide what you are going to stop doing to take on something else. As much as I loved writing my newsletter and writing inspirational posts, I had to put them to the side for a season to focus on my project. Or you may need to say no, because it’s not aligned with your priorities and values.
- Pray – This is the most important step for me. As I plan, review and adjust my plan, I commit my plans to God and ask for His wisdom and guidance.
And remember, seasons have a beginning and an end. The next season will bring additional changes, but the good news is that you’ll be ready for them.
As you plan your current season, I hope that it is filled with things that bring you life and joy!
