Christians facing a breakdown or burnout “are taking on tasks beyond our ability, tasks God never intended us to do,” said Margaret Kennedy, a women’s leader and member of Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Dothan.
“God is never going to burn us out,” she said.
While people may not be able to manage their time, they can manage their schedules by choosing what they do during a given day, she said.
“I feel that our busyness can be a blockage to Kingdom work,” said Kennedy, founder of Threads of Hope, a radio and writing ministry in Dothan.
“Busyness is something every leader will always struggle with. There will never be a time we don’t have to manage ourselves and our schedules.”
Kennedy suggested women examine all of their current responsibilities and determine whether God intended they take them on.
“Unless we are willing to live wisely, we will miss the will of God,” she said.
“Sometimes, the most godly thing a wife or mom can do is take a 30-minute nap.”
Women who are leaders “are surrounded by a lot of people’s agendas,” Kennedy said. “People clamor for our time. But wise leaders determine to invest themselves in activities and projects they know they can accomplish.”
Jesus was a leader who managed Himself while purposefully following His Father’s agenda, she said. And women can do the same thing with their lives.
Everyone makes choices about what to do each day, but by becoming better managers of time, some stress can be avoided, according to Kennedy.
She offers several ways to better manage time, thereby reducing stress.
Start each day with a quiet time. “You should start each morning scheduling some time with the Creator of the universe. Find a special spot in your home where you go each morning.”
Plan and prioritize in writing. “Make a list and rank it in importance,” she said. “Studies show that those who write down their goals are 90 percent more likely to complete their tasks than those who do not.”
Be realistic about what you can do. “When we are trying to do too much, we are going to feel frustrated, stressed and guilty.
Don’t put more on that planner than you can possibly do.” Kennedy says to use only one calendar or planner.
Strive for effectiveness over efficiency. “Efficiency is doing the job. Effectiveness is doing the job right.”
Eliminate time wasters by identifying them. “Talking on the phone is the number one time waster. If you’re in the middle of a project, use the answering machine.” Other time wasters are paperwork, meaningless meetings, procrastination, lack of organization, ineffective delegation and inability to say no.
Consider your biological prime. “When are you most active? For some it is morning; for some, it is night. Do tasks that need the most cognitive skills when you are most alert.” (BP)
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