“WHAT TO DO WHEN I HAVE TOO MUCH TO DO”
“If you’ve got more than you can do in a normal work day, you’ve got more than God gave you to do.” (Source unknown)
Years ago, I participated in a 50-Day Spiritual Adventure that was titled “What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do.” It was a catchy title and a good, helpful program.
However, I now need a different program. I am titling this adventure “What to do When I Have Too Much to Do.”
I recently posted about “being in over my head.” One aspect of this is having too much to do. There is a lot I can do when I feel like this. Unfortunately, most of it is unhelpful. Let me list some of the things that I’ve found that don’t work:
- Complaining. (I hope this post is not simple complaining on line, but I am not so sure.)
- Being cranky with God, my wife, and the universe.
- Trying to do everything on my to-do list.
- Eating a bunch of sweets and junk food.
- Saying, “Oh, the heck with it all! I think I’ll play word games on line!”
I’m sure there are a few other things I’ve proven to myself don’t work, but those are some of my go-to items that I’ve proven, time and time again, do not work. (Of course, a voice whispers in my ear, “Oh, this time it will be different.” The voice sounds suspiciously like my own voice.)
So, the question is this: What does work?
I don’t know, but I am being stalked by some potential answers. I think I’ll quit running and allow those answers to catch up with me.
- Doing triage might help. Are there some things I can let go? Are there some things I really should let go? Then why not let them go?!? The pretense that I can do everything often keeps me from doing the best things. Sometimes, the pretense that I can do everything keeps me from doing anything.
- I can pray the right kind of prayer. Prayer isn’t enough. The phrase that matters the most in the preceding sentence is “the right kind of prayer.” Sometimes, my prayer basically boils down to this: “God, please help me to do what I’ve already decided I need/want to do.” A better prayer might sound like this: “God, please help me to do what you want me to do.” Similar wording, but a very different focus.
- I can change my to-do list into a might-do list. The world will not stop spinning if I do not get everything on my list done today. Even my own little world may not be seriously compromised by failure to check off every box.
- Finally, I can simply start doing the work at hand, and see what happens. Who knows? If I put one foot in front of the other today (and keep putting one foot in front of the other), I may find that I get to the end of the day with a sense of satisfaction, instead of a sense (??) of frustration.
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