Everywhere I turn these days, I see Saints dropping balls. While some balls need to be dropped because a new season beckons, some balls are just being dropped because we are overwhelmed, exhausted and lacking JOY in what we do. While I can’t claim perfection, having only recently come into this new JOY filled, PRESSURE absent and PRODUCTIVITY-high zone, I may have a few tips to share, especially for overwhelmed leaders.
Fun fact: Everyone leads in one capacity or another.
Hey Saints,
In this post, I share my story on tethering close to burnout and how stepping back and realigning my life has brought me incredible joy and wins. Today, I hope to build on that, so here we go…
SAINT TO SAINT: 5 INCREDIBLE WINS 35 HAS BROUGHT ME
My 5 tips, especially for Leaders, to fight the overwhelm and beat unnecessary busyness.
Before I dive in, I want to say that our society has a way of applauding a stressed and unnecessary busy life that leaves you with zero time to rest, and even spend time with Jesus. I KNOW this because I have lived a SUPER INTENSE life, and people will hail me, and even aspire to be like me, because they could see fruit.
These days I ask myself a few questions even when I am winning.
1. What did I SACRIFICE to get this (if I sacrificed the things most important, it is NO WIN)
2. How is my soul? (If I am ‘winning’ but losing the very essence of me and my soul, then I am REALLY LOSING)
3. What do I really NEED to have/know/be? (Excess is baggage. We only need so much and no more)
4. Is this the BEST use of my time NOW? (Because doing the right thing, at the wrong time and with the wrong person is honestly FRUSTRATING)
There are more but let me stop here and jump into those 5 tips
1. Deepen your convictions
In this post on my Fitness blog, I talk about how Jesus Girls can deepen their convictions and one tip I shared is to GO FOR KNOWLEDGE.
This has been one of the BIGGEST game changers in my WHOLE life!!!
We want something, or lack something, and we just think somehow, we will fill that gap and sustain it without deeper convictions.
Lack of conviction is what makes us start and stop, Saint.
Which is why once you have identified a gap, quickly find books, seminars, podcasts, videos and more to help you reinforce what it is you need to know and become.
When I knew I had to find a new groove to my life, I read at least 5 books in a short time
CC’s How did I get here
Carey N’s Didn’t see that coming AND At your Best
Juliet F’s A minute to think
And Rory Vaden’s Procrastinate on Purpose
God Himself had to stop me from reading because I had two more lined up (Atomic habits again and Take the Stairs), because He knew I could fire well with what I had already read.
I also made room for and attended this year’s GLS video cast in my church
Then Marie F launched her time genius and even if I didn’t join, I watched all her webinars and podcasts, plus blogs.
And many more articles and videos just to deepen that conviction.
Recently, I incorporated the concept of Shabbat to my life, where I take a WHOLE day off during the week to spend time refreshing my spirit and soul.
I quickly started to consume content around that so I won’t find a way to talk myself out of it.
I am currently reading 24/6 by Tiffany Shlain and many articles from Cal Newport on digital and general life minimalism.
With all these, you can’t pay me to get into a life of rut and stress and over activity. I don’t admire anyone like that again. I love my life with margin. Yes, I am still busy and productive but I have MARGIN and JOY and really invest my time and energy into the BEST things.
So don’t just want to change, consume content to DEEPEN THOSE CONVICTIONS.
2. Craft confessions and Affirmations and KEEP THEM OBVIOUS
If you were to see my work table and laptop, you would think you are in a Primary school haha. In fact, I need to share a picture.
Please do this, and keep repeating them from time to time.
Also have some on your phone too. Anywhere you can, please keep it.
Don’t underestimate this fight ooo.
3. Fight OVER INFORMATION and OVER ACTIVITY
Gosh, this one I had to be BRUTAL about. I am such an information junkie and I always want to exhaust every option when doing any study or research but Solomon was right when he said there is no end to learning and also no end to activity.
But regarding anything beyond this, dear friend, go easy. There’s no end to the publishing of books…
Ecclesiastes 12:12-13 MSG
So these days, like I mentioned above, I ask myself ‘WHAT DO I REALLY NEED TO KNOW and WHAT DO I REALLY NEED TO DO?
Once that is clarified, I EMBRACE THE BEAUTIFUL JOY OF MISSING OUT ON THE REST
In leadership, it is easy to think you have to keep doing doing doing. In fact, I love these articles by Cal on his blog
A Pastor embraces slowness
https://www.calnewport.com/blog/2021/10/11/a-pastor-embraces-slowness/
Fixed schedule Productivity
https://www.calnewport.com/blog/2008/02/15/fixed-schedule-productivity-how-i-accomplish-a-large-amount-of-work-in-a-small-number-of-work-hours/
I suffered ooo, and I made people suffer too.
Now, I have simplified, automated yet supercharged LITERALLY everything in my life, with even more results, more margin, and more JOY and NO OVERWHELM
4. Say NO often and well
You may wanna check online, and hopefully you also find some in the books and content you are consuming, for ways and reasons to politely say NO.
Just because you can do it doesn’t mean you have to.
Just because your mentor or best friend is doing it, or asked you to do it doesn’t mean you have to.
I personally have learned to give people the permission to say NO to me too, because I generously say NO to others.
Yes, even as a business owner, I also say NO to Clients who request for phone interviews about 90 to 95% of the time. I share more on that on YouTube here.
And when you do say NO, stay out of their heads, without wondering what they think about you.
WASTE OF TIME
If that is the best investment of your time and energy, say YES
If it isn’t, SAY NO
And depending on context, it may NOT need further explanation
NO is a complete sentence!!!
5. SHABBAT!!!
Yes, this concept is NEW and may seem impossible to you right now, but I wanna encourage you to read articles online, and if possible, the book 24/6 to deepen convictions. Then ask God to truly help you find room for Shabbat, that is a day off to REST!!!
I mean, the concept is from the Bible.
God did it
God commanded it
We should find a way to do it.
We cant keep going going going NON-STOP
You can have that as a weekly retreat with God, time to REST, time to spend with the people you LOVE leisurely or doing non-work activities you love alone.
Since embracing this, I am receiving grace not to go back on it.
Yes, a few seasons may demand more from me, but I wont make it a habit to be without Shabbat.
A good place to start would be to EMBRACE DIGITAL MINIMALISM (https://www.calnewport.com/blog/2016/12/18/on-digital-minimalism/)
You don’t have to be on EVERY social media site, group and all.
Simplify your life.
So that’s it
I am not claiming perfection, as I am work in PROGRESS so please don’t put me in a pedestal.
BUT I am WINNING, and I want us to win together even on this journey and really enjoy OUR BEST LIVES!!!
God bless you, Saint.
And because you know we continue conversations on my YouTube Channel, Your BEST LIFE with Eziaha, please head over and let’s bring some 3D context to this topic, going deeper on convictions, and a concept on pitcher and cups I learned from a book and have been applying to my SUCCESS!!!
To your very BEST life
Eziaha
PS
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A better LEGACY, for today, for tomorrow, for our children
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If you have some time. I have two other posts this week on my Fitness and Domestic Queen blogs. You can find them here
Eziaha, dropping gems since forever. The saying No is something we all need to learn. Loved the part where you said “And when you do say NO, stay out of their heads, without wondering what they think about you.” That’s one reason I don’t say no often, I need to really stay out of their heads and game face after my No. Thanks for the article.