Busy Busy Busy (how to beat the busyness)

After raising the issue of being busy, I thought I would share some thoughts on how to deal with it. The reality for me has been that saying you'll make time for your family, be more organised and create more time for the tasks you don't like has and is still a difficult thing to work out. But I have improved the rhythm of my week to give appropriate/quality time for my family (not only on my day off), spending time in preparing my self for the coming week/month/year and managing my time efficiently so that I do what needs to be done. It is still a work in progress but here are some suggestions:


1: Put it in the diary - If you are going to have an afternoon off (on top of you day off), out it in the diary as an item, just like any other appointment. Put some time in you diary that is for an emergency. Obviously, the emergency will not happen at that point but you have space to catch up or benefit from. If you have an open diary system in an office then put it in code and stick to it! If an emergency crops up, reschedule your time immediately, don't say "I'll do it later."

2: Get a mentor - You need someone to hold you to account of your time. They can help you ensure that you are not in danger of either burning out or becoming lethargic and lazy. This must be someone you trust, respect and will listen to, even if it hurts.

3: Get active - No one can work productivity for long without an outlet. For me, I need to do something physical (running, football, digging at the allotment, walking to the office etc). It helps release stress, it keeps you body health and you get to meet people that you wouldn't necessary connect with. This is something I still need to work on and place higher on the agenda during my week.

4: Chill Out - You are allowed to stop and do nothing. Do not feel guilty about having you day off, taking all your holiday and making the most of quiet periods. These are God given moments when you can relax. Use your time to chill out as preparation before an event/busy period rather than recuperation after it because as soon as you feel you have caught up and feeling ready to go, you will be word out again. I have tried to think of my day off (usually Saturday) as preparing for Sunday and the week ahead rather than rest after a busy/long/pressured week.

The thing I am trying to do is be more silent (for those that know me this will probably make you smile) in my life. It is a lot easier to speak than to listen to God but how will I hear if I don't keep quiet.

Matt

Unexpected Surprise

When I was based at Leicester South, I was a mentor at a local college to a number of young people who need additional support through their GCSE's and going on to work or further education. One of the lads I had was called James (not his real name), He was a nice lad, quiet but easy swayed by those around around him in his lessons. I never knew if I had any impact or even if He was getting anything out of our hour every two weeks.

That was 3 years ago. This week Lizzy and I popped into Fosse Park for some shopping and I got a Costa coffee. The guy that served me looked familiar, it was James. He remembered who I was and we had a brief chat. Turns out that he went to college and finished His Uniformed Services qualification and is waiting to turn 18 to apply for the fire service.

Now, I am not claiming that I had a huge impact but hopefully I was one of the positive influence that has helped him along the way. It also was a unexpected surprise for me to see a small result of something that didn't always seem worth while. In our instant world we can get frustrated about not seeing results, sometimes we need to be patient and allow God to work in His way and in His time.

Matt