When You're Busy - Try This

Timelines, deadlines and expectations. A backlogged to-do list and an overwhelming sense of frantic are often found nearby our busyness. What I know about busyness is this: busyness leads to burnout. Our unbridled execution mode thwarts our vision away from our long-term goals and fixates on the immediate action items. We find ourselves living moment to moment, losing sight of where we are headed. When we live like this we are headed to exhaustion.

We are out of commission mentally, physically, emotionally or spiritually before we even know what’s happening. We’re doing great…until we aren’t. Busyness leads to burnout. When we find ourselves in the world of never-ending action and opportunity, what do we do? What’s our response? How do we get out and reset again?

The most powerful thing you can do in seasons of busyness is…. R E S T.

Our natural tendency during busy is to buckle down or shut down (aka hide in a hole and ignore). Instead of buckling down or shutting down in our busy, let’s learn to break away. What if every time you felt a sense of panic that there’s so much to do you stepped away for 10 minutes and simply sat in the sun? What if you allowed yourself to get outside of the moment and gain some perspective through rest? What if your immediate response to feeling the urge to rush around was to read a chapter of a book or call a friend just to chat? Moments of rest will help guide your next steps. Rest will take you outside of the here and now and place you in a position to keep your goals and values in sight. Rest is fuel. The moment you think you don’t have enough time to take a few moments of rest is the exact moment you need it most.

I found myself here this week. I’ve had an incredible month in business. Lots of new faces around here, meetings, special speaking engagements and ways to invest in others. So much goodness swept me into that unbridled GO MODE. In some moments, I’m here for it. Soaking it up. Riding the wave of excitement and the thrill of the sprint! But it went sideways. I have markers in my life that I’m in tune with – they tell me when I need to get serious about settling down and refocusing. Take a moment right now and identify those burnout sensors in your life. Get serious about knowing what they are so you can help stop the burnout the moment you feel it. If you need help here, check out these signs you’re burning out!

So – right now, I’m headed to the beach. My list is overflowing, my prospects could use some extra love, my house needs to be mopped, my social media content is nearly out and my mind doesn’t feel like it’s going to be able to rest. Two days ago, in a moment of busy, I called out for rest. I’m not buckling down in my busy. I’m stepping away. I’m stepping away to keep my priorities prioritized. When I get back, I trust myself to see clearly what’s next. I trust myself to take things off my list that shouldn’t have ever been there. I trust that rest is exactly what I need in this moment.

In your busyness, I’m inviting you to rest. I’m inviting you to claim rest in your life and walk into it. In the midst of busy, break free.

Tossing confetti for your rest,

Coach Alicia