How to Slow Down and Stop Being too Busy

It can be easy to wake up every day and take it for granted. We go about our routine, the daily grind. Eat. Commute. Work. Commute. Eat. Sleep. For you it may be travel, taking care of children, or other activities that fill the 24 hours of your day.

…But what if this was all interrupted…

Rain spattered on the windshield that cold January evening in 2016. Off to a fun event, the evening was filled with laughter, good friends, and lots of bouncing. Since my husband and I worked in opposite directions, we met our Life Group at an indoor trampoline facility. Hustling out of the rain, we stepped inside to fill out the wavers. The smell of nachos and freshly buttered popcorn filled the air. The black trampolines lined with blue and red edges awaited. Even though it had been a long day at work, excitement filled the air.

Dashing from the personal belongings area, the arcade attendant gave a tour of the bouncy options. The giant ball pit was a first pick, but was soon overruled by the Trampoline Dodge-ball! We decided on teams and took our stance for the games to start. Colored foam balls went flying everywhere. Team members jumped in and out of the game as they got hit, or caught a ball. I cycled on and off quite a few times, but then this time, it was different. 

My world was spinning at 100 miles an hour and I didn’t know how to make it stop. Just minutes ago, I had been giving my all for the team. In slow motion the person on the other team had jumped in the air with all the spring they could get, launching a ball in my direction. My hands had reached into the air to grasp the ball…as my fingers skimmed the vinyl ball, I realized I had missed. 

It was headed straight for the top of my forehead. A foam ball weighs maybe a couple ounces. However, some whiplash and a concussion later, I decided these foam balls were tougher then I gave them credit for. If you’ve ever had a concussion, you know it’s nothing to be messed with (for those who haven’t, in my situation, it was like having a major migraine for 4 solid weeks before it pretended to let up). They say that everything happens for a reason, but I certainly wasn’t sure why this had happened. It turns out that God needed to teach me some things that could only be done by bringing me to the quiet place to hear His still small voice. I was so busy with life that allowing myself to come to a place of stillness was almost impossible.

From that place of stillness, here are three things God taught me:

• Busyness is not a good excuse to put God aside

You can be busy doing all sorts things in life, work, family, even ministry, but if you find yourself not taking time to come into God’s presence, then you may want to reevaluate how your time is being spent. Take time reading God’s love letter to us. God invites you to enter into His presence.

• Busyness is not a good excuse to put people aside

Christ came to save people, to minister to people, and to have relationship with people. If we are prioritizing what we are doing for God over the relationships he has placed in our life, it’s time to take a step back and and ask God how you are supposed to be loving those around you. There will always be plenty of things to do in life. The people around you will not always be there.

• Busyness is not a good excuse to neglect yourself

If you are a Christian, you are the temple of God. Wonderful and beautifully made in His image. When we neglect ourselves, we are telling God we don’t care about His temple. Ouch! This is one I’ve struggled with for many years. It can be easy to compare yourself with someone else and make an automatic judgement that they are better because they have whatever it is. You fill in the blank. When you criticize yourself for your appearance, your intelligence, your personality, you are telling God He made a mistake. God never makes mistakes. You are created for a purpose; a divine calling that only you can fill. You are beautiful, called, created, so live loved.

Now, I certainly hope that a tragic accident is not how God gets your attention, but if you have turned toward God in a challenging situation, know that you are not alone. Being active and having a full life is not a bad thing. It only becomes a warning sign when the areas outlined above are out of place.

Question: What is one things you can do today to tame the busyness in your life?

Share your how you’ve implemented busyness tamers in your life.