You’re busy.

I know. I am too. {Remember, I’m not even apologizing for it anymore.}

But here’s the thing, there’s good busy and there’s bad busy.

I know, it all makes our calendars look crazy. But the truth is, there are times when life is just busy and it’s for all the right reasons. And then there are the other times — you know, when we’ve let things get out of control and we need a reality check.

Sometimes life is busy for all the right reasons. But sometimes not. 3 ways to respond. Click To Tweet

When I look at the busy season in my life, I’ve noticed there are three main reasons why I’m busy.

Reason #1: Can’t Say No

This one is not altogether unusual for me. Sadly, I’m just enough of a people pleaser to find my days slammed with all those things I could do but I really should not have agreed to. In case you aren’t sure, this is the bad busy. It’s the kind that keeps our days full of all the wrong stuff. And worse, it can keep us from being able to say yes to the best opportunities.

The problem with this kind of busy is it’s hard to quit. Once we get into the cycle of saying yes when we should be saying no, it’s hard to break the habit. But we need to! In order to regain control of our time and energy, we have to be willing to say no when necessary.

But if you’re like me and that’s easier said than done, let me share my secret,

Response: Delay.

I have learned it’s better not to give an immediate answer when someone asks me to add something to my schedule. So, my standard response is, “Let me pray about this and talk with Scott and I’ll get back with you by ______.”

Check out @terilynneu's great response for those who have a hard time saying no. Click To Tweet

Reason #2: Control Freak

Okay, maybe I’m the only one, but I often end up with a slammed schedule because somehow I convince myself I am the only one who can do whatever it is needing done. When I typed that sentence, I rolled my eyes at myself and how ridiculous that all sounds. But it’s the truth. Maybe you are the same?

This kind of busy is frustrating not just for me but also for those around me who want to or could help. Being a control freak holds me captive to my to do list and limits the freedom I feel to be spontaneous. And, refusing to let others help me can limit their opportunities to be a blessing or to learn how to do others things.

Scott is my greatest asset in this area. He helps me remember I don’t have to do it all … and that a lot of what I feel I should do isn’t important and sometimes isn’t even necessary. Which leads to my best response to the control freak urges,

Response: Delete and Delegate.

By forcing myself to give up control, I free up space — both on my schedule and in my heart and mind.

One of my favorite ways to let go of the control freak in me is to look at my list and mark 10% of off. Seriously. And then I delegate another 10%. Let’s face it, someone else can definitely run the vacuum or do the dishes. I’ve discovered that once I do those two things, I usually can find other tasks that could be deleted or delegated.

Reason #3: Current Season

This is where we get to the good kind of busy. It’s when your kids are playing ball and every night for six weeks you’re at practice or a game. You love watching them and being a part of what they love. But the laundry is waaay behind and you McDonalds has become your personal chef.

For us, our busy seasons often revolve around Scott’s job as a worship pastor. Christmas is totally chaotic for everyone on staff at a church. All the normal stuff plus the holiday festivities and special programs and rehearsals can make for very busy Thanksgiving through New Year’s.

We all have those times in our lives when the calendar is just crazy. We can look at them and see there is an end date to the madness.

When I’m in one of those seasons, the best response is,

Response: Discern.

By being honest with myself about why it’s crazy and when it will end, I can usually keep from getting totally overwhelmed by the chaos. Over the years, I’ve also learned to prepare ahead when I can see those seasons coming. For example, since I know Christmas is going to be insane, I try to get a few meals prepared and put in the freezer.

Learning to discern about the seasons we are in — busy or not — can help us better manage our time, our resources, and even our emotions.

So, there you have it: 3 reasons we get busy and 3 ways to respond. Remember, busy isn’t always bad. The important thing we need to remember is not to allow our busy-ness distract our hearts from focusing on Kingdom business.

xo,

Teri Lynne