(Acts Study)
How can we focus on our primary purpose when we have too much to do? In the Book of Acts, the Apostles were faced with this same dilemma. As the demands on their time and energy increased, they came up with a strategy to stay focused on what was important.
“We’ll stick to our assigned tasks...” (Acts 6:4 MSG)
I wonder why the Apostles weren’t better at multitasking. Why did they delegate administrative and service duties to others? Maybe because they were men!
Most women I know would consider themselves a failure if they didn’t try to take on several roles at once. I’ve seen t-shirts with the message “MOM--Master of Multitasking” printed on them. We imagine that doing one thing at a time is inefficient and lazy. We play multiple roles at the same time. We spread ourselves so thin that we become ineffective in all of them.
“Multitasking means screwing several things up at once.” (Unknown)
I’m familiar with this sort of multitasking--screwing up several things at once. I have committed to more than I can handle, because I wanted to be like the other women I admired--everything to everybody. Upon closer inspection, I realized that this was an illusion--and I was one of those women who was propagating this myth. So here is my confession:
I can play multiple roles at the same time, but not well.
These days, I try to simplify, clarify, and streamline my roles. I attempt to distill everything down to its essence. I focus on my primary purpose. I try to deflect the daily diversions--especially the siren call to do more and be more. I am never certain that I’m on the right path or pace. Yet, I press on, focusing on the One.
Chalene Johnson, creator of Turbo Kick and Turbo Jam was the first woman I have ever known who took pride in saying it was okay to multitask, but when it becomes overwhelming, which it often does and we let Ego get in the way, the best thing we can do for ourselves is learn to delegate and not be afraid to ask for help or assign it.
ReplyDeleteShe changed my life that day at Camp Turbo in California with just admitting that she, the Queen of everything, had to learn to delegate before her marriage got into trouble from lack of communication from being so busy for everyone else and she was miserable in everything because it went from wanting to do it, to having to do it because it was expected.
She came out with her book PUSH the end of 2011 and it was amazing how detailed it was how to organize your time, your life and still be able to breathe.
:-)
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