Are You Choosing Busy?
“Every one of us needs half an hour of prayer each day, except when we are busy—then we need an hour” (St. Francis de Sales).
Recently, I attended a day retreat for Catholic moms and heard an acronym that was new to me: “BUSY” stands for “Being Under Satan’s Yoke.” I nodded my head and wrote it down.
A yoke is a mechanism that pairs two animals together for work. Who do you want to be yoked to? Our culture seems to have glorified being busy, as if someone is handing out awards for how much is on our to-do list. How many times have you gotten together with friends to rattle off how busy you are?
When I first started my entrepreneurial journey, I was all about being busy. The trouble was that it meant I was leading a reactive life instead of proactive life. Being busy feels like checking off as many things you can on your to-do list with no real purpose in mind. If you’re procrastinating on the challenges of your daily life or pushing off inspiration because you’re busy, try running the day before it runs you:
1. Schedule Time With God First
Pray first; work second.
I know, you think you have no time for prayer, because you’re too busy (or your children are roosters). If you can’t pray before you begin your day, then pray before you begin your work. I’ve experienced two benefits of praying first and working second: peace of mind and receptivity.
If you start your day with prayer, you won’t have to take up mental space worrying about finding prayer time, because you’ve started your day by prioritizing it! Don’t make it complicated, or you’ll find it harder to lead with prayer. It’s OK to keep it simple by thanking God for another day (this covers praise and gratitude) and asking him what he wants you to do today (this covers yoking yourself with him). There are also many simple prayers you can use throughout the day that can help you keep your focus on God and what’s essential in your work. Here are a few: “Jesus, I trust in you”; “Mary, be a mother to me now”; and “Come, Holy Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.”
Which brings me to the second benefit I’ve experienced by making prayer a priority: receptivity. I can’t tell you how many favors I’ve received and how many prayers have been answered while I was in my scheduled Adoration time. I have no doubt that God presented opportunities to me and overcame obstacles because I carved out just one hour a week for him. It’s now fun for me to check my messages after Adoration. I think, “What came through this time?”
2. Say “No”
“No” is a full sentence, and you should practice saying it to reclaim space on your calendar. Then, block out that time for rest. Rest is part of the third commandment, and Jesus actually encouraged the apostles to rest (Mark 6:31). Are you so different from them?
I give you permission not to hop on a hamster wheel after you rest. You don’t need to make up that time.
I’ve worked hard to make Sunday my unplug day. I worked up to this commitment in increments, and I’m still far from perfect. Lately, I’ve had to remind myself to log off. But taking time to rest not only your body but your mind from the constant flow of information and images will actually make you more productive when you return to work. You’ll have a better understanding of what’s truly essential after a day of keeping it simple. (This idea is supported by this study of college students who went “unplugged” for 24 hours.)
3. Delay Gratification
Good things keep us from great things. Are you sacrificing what you want most for what you want now? In our Amazon Prime world, delaying gratification is hard. We keep chasing the next shiny object when what we should be doing is keeping our eyes focused on what we want most.
In my line of work, there are lots of shiny objects. There is always something to sign up for. But, in most cases, that course, conference, or membership keeps me busy instead of productive. Some shiny objects dull after I ask myself the question: “Will this bring me closer to or further from the life I want to build?”
To help with the long game, make sure you’re clear on all the benefits of reaching your goals and any obstacles that may arise along the way. Awareness is key, and going back to that benefits list will help you hold out and overcome obstacles when they arise. Make sure to keep this handy so you can review it daily.
Busy only gets us further away from what God is calling us to do. What is being busy costing you personally and professionally? How will you get unbusy?
Liz Montigny is a licensed Ziglar Life Coach for Catholic working moms who want to drop the hustle for hope so they can truly live their dreams. She lives with her husband and their three boys in Massachusetts where she homeschools, likes to relax with a cup of tea, and enjoys talking about non-toxic living and building her theatre ministry. You can connect with her at lizmontignycoaching.com.