Organizing the Inside 365 Days
Empowering Christian Women To Get Organized and Discover God's Plan for Their LivesArchive for Stress management
Organizing the Inside – Day 335 Seize the Time!
31I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment; 31thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. 32I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: 33A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— 34and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man. Proverbs 24:30-34 (NIV)
If you are like many, you have a few or more things that tend to nag you. These things have piled up because you’ve let them remain undone for a while now. Every time you pass by you think, “Oh boy, I need to get that done.” You’ve graded yourself consistently with an “incomplete,” but nothing seems to help. Whether its laziness, idleness, a lack of resolve, or something else that’s keeping you from getting things done I urge you to make the decision to do what it takes to get started now. You know the added stress you feel by having that pile of incomplete tasks, only seems to haunt and discourage you more.
Face the facts: You have had time, down time, slow time, day dreaming time, you just haven’t done it. Take responsibility for not handling your business and do something to resolve it. Clearly part of fulfilling God’s will is having certain things in order to allow you to work without distraction. God doesn’t want His children distressed under the burden of clutter and chaos anymore than He wants us to be under financial burdens or suffer lack of any kind. The book of Proverbs is full of motivation and admonishment for those who need a reality check about being idle and wasting time.
Self-control is a fruit we all should strive for. Part of self-control is being disciplined enough to use time wisely. If you want your life to be both productive and fruitful, use the time you have to get things done. Seize the moment! Christian living calls for sacrifice and productivity. Ask God to help you decide what things you need to take care of that you’ve allowed to pile up. He will give you clear direction on how to focus and have greater discipline to get more done.
Here is some additional help to get you started!
Organizing the Inside – Day 252 Set Aside Time For Fun
9What do people really get for all their hard work? 10I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. 11Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. 12So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. 13And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God. Ecclesiastes 3:9-13 (NLT)
Are you driven?
If you are like many entrepreneurs, leaders and busy women I know, you understand the importance of cutting loose from time to time. However, if you’re driven and end up working late into the night, often unintentionally, here’s a quick word about having fun. He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich. Proverbs 10:4 (KJV) Surely there is nothing wrong with having drive and hard work has its rewards – agreed. Since you are so driven and goal oriented, perhaps you’ll need to pencil in your fun time.
Having fun is important to your overall sense of well-being.
The intense on-going stress cause by a heavy workload will eventually take its toll, unless you learn to lighten your load. Sometimes acting silly or cracking a joke with coworkers is all that is needed to relieve some tension. Consider those things that make you laugh and find ways to merge them into your every-day-life. A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Proverbs 17:22 (NLT) Studies show that laughter helps decrease stress hormone levels, strengthen the immune system, and lower blood pressure. There is a long list of health benefits associated with laughing and having fun.
Make a list of at least seven things that are fun for you.
Some activities on your list will be with family and friends, and some will be things for you to do alone. Make sure that at least a few times a week if not daily you are having fun. The best fun to have is spontaneous, but hey, if that’s not your thing, “having fun” the list will support your efforts to change. Some people are just naturally funny and having fun is second nature, great for them they likely take themselves a lot less seriously. Those of us who are just a bit more stiff under the collar ought to spend time with those friends who really know how to make us laugh. You know your own work/life habits and you know whether you need to schedule fun time or if it will spontaneously occur throughout the day. Whichever works, the important thing to remember is to make time to have fun. For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NLT)
Here’s a similar article for busy women who tend to work take on a lot.
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Organizing the Inside – Day 136 Reducing Stress in the Workplace
Stress affects women in the workplace in many ways. Whether you work in a corporate environment, or have the privilege of working from home, stress is certainly a factor in your day. As women we have excessive amounts of stress as we look for ways to balance our professional and personal lives. While stress is indeed a factor to consider, the guilt associated with having to keep up the delicate balance between loved ones, ministry and business can be daunting. Learning to end the guilt associated with living a full life and staying on top of your responsibilities can also be quite simple. Here are some things that can help.
5 SUPER EASY STRESS & GUILT RELIEVING TIPS:
1. Be present in the moment.
Jesus teaches us an important lesson about stress, “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. Matthew 6:34 If you often find yourself worrying about an upcoming meeting or important conference call this is something you may want to practice. Each time you find yourself spending time worrying about an upcoming event repeat the scripture aloud and make your mind yield to the Word of God. Write things down on your trusty to do list. If there is something you need to prepare for, include a set time when you will work on that task, and lay it down. You could easily miss out on today’s blessing because you are looking too far ahead, concerned about tomorrow. Jesus is already in tomorrow waiting to meet you there, so no worries please enjoy today.
2. Kick worry to the curb and have FUN!
Hang out with people who make you laugh. Be thoughtful about who you have lunch with and make it a point to take time to enjoy moments throughout your day. Take a minute to call that one friend who you know always cracks your side. Keep a book of office friendly jokes near your desk and take a peek at it when you need a lift. If you are a meeting facilitator bring a joke with you to the meeting; your attendees will appreciate you lightening the place up a bit. Spend time with people who are positive. Perfume and incense make the heart glad, but the sweetness of a friend is a fragrant forest. Proverbs 27:9
3. Consider how God has always provided.
The next time you feel yourself worrying about tomorrow, consider all the times in the past that you worried for nothing. Think about how God made everything better. Consider the works of His hands and how He absolutely met your needs and provided for you and your family. Adorning your mind with the knowledge of God will help you to remember it will all be okay. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.Proverbs 31:25
4. Offer a listening ear.
If you are one who tends to talk a lot, maybe you just have a lot to say, good for you. Sometimes the need to get your point across and always being the one to carry the conversation can be somewhat stressful. Slow down and take a moment to listen too. When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. Proverbs 10:19 Letting the other person express themselves while you listen attentively is an act of caring and demonstrates the fruit of the Spirit at work in your heart. Listen lovingly and wait to be heard. Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. James 1:19
5. Take a mental vacation.
I’ve recently written about the importance of being still before God. Being still will help you find balance and keep you from being overcome with random thoughts racing through your mind, which can be very stressful and create feelings of guilt. Our minds are powerful and often (especially if you have a creative mind) your mind tends to want to run things, don’t let it. Learn to relax your mind by taking a mini vacation and allow yourself to sit and focus on just one good thing. Perhaps it is the smile on your daughters face every time you read her favorite bible story. Whatever brings your mind to a place of peace and calm, allow yourself a brief break to go there. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8
If you have a stress relieving tip that works for you please take a moment to share it.
Organizing the Inside 365 Days 