By Paul Borthwick
One hundred years ago, "burned out" referred to the campfire. "Chronic fatigue syndrome" occurred only in insomniacs. People described an automobile on ice as being "out of control," but they wouldn't refer to their lives that way. Times change. Our lives get cluttered. As we face an ever-increasing pace of life governed by email, instant messaging, and 24-7 busyness, we may become paralyzed looking at the options. These tips, based off of Christian principles, are designed to help you uncomplicate your life.
Buy Slowly
When considering any major purchase, wait. Pausing before we purchase can keep us from buying on a whim, which is one of the causes of credit card debt in our country. Credit cards give us an illusionary buying power, and purchasing things over the Internet or through catalogs serve our impulses ("see it; like it; buy it").
If our credit card statement tells us that we have $5,000 in available credit, we can spend $5,000, right? Buying slowly keeps us from being duped into thinking that "plastic" and real money are synonymous.
An interesting note here: A major credit card advertisement touts the slogan "Master the Possibilities." What it fails to explain, however, is that using any card without forethought or planning may result in the debts mastering us. Remember Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 6:12: "I will not be mastered by anything."
Cut a Firebreak
When a forest fire burns uncontrollably, firefighters do not fight the fire directly. They move ahead of the fire's path and cut the trees down so that the fire has nothing to consume. When the fire reaches the firebreak, it burns itself out.
When our schedules burn out of control, we look ahead and plan a day we can stop to regain our sanity. These days off function as firebreaks. Or, to change analogies, they allow us to "come up for air" after we have been submerged too long. The anticipation of the day off ahead (or the vacation ahead) helps us persevere until a break is possible. Note: To avoid out-of-control demands on our time, Christie and I schedule our days off three to six months in advance. Even if we cannot honor every one, planning ahead keeps us from going for weeks without a break.
Exercise Smart: Start Small and Be Sensible
Feeling fat and out-of-shape, I started an exercise program doing 100 sit-ups. I accomplished my goal, but the next day my stomach muscles went into a spasm that gave me hiccups for four days. I finally had to go to the hospital to get a muscle relaxant. A hasty start decreased my desire to exercise.
Last year, I started with ten sit-ups three times per week. Then I added ten per week with a goal of 100. I learned to start small--the hard way!
Schedule a Family Meeting Each Week
It will help coordinate the various meals, chores, and functions of the household. As children get older and start keeping their own schedules, a regular family hour can be valuable to establish contact. It keeps each family member communicating with the others and brings everyone together.
Defeat Boredom
Address your boredom rather than trying to solve it by eating. This is especially difficult for those who live in colder climates; in the winter when you're feeling cooped up, eating can seem like the only fun available. It takes creativity and a little more preparation, but trips to the library and museum, or a brisk walk stimulate your spirit, mind, and body better than that extra donut!
Don't Be Squeezed
The J.B. Phillips translation of Romans 12:2 reads, "Don't let the world squeeze you into its mold." That is a great summary of the countercultural challenge. Ask yourself if the world is influencing your values, attitudes, or behaviors in the following areas:
- Relationships--in the home, the church, or the community.
- Possessions--want versus need.
- Values or dreams--our priorities, our personal "mission statement."
Do the Hardest Tasks First
Put those dreaded tasks at the top of your "to do" list and take care of them first. Procrastinating only makes them seem harder and can keep them on your list for weeks.Whether it is paying the bills, going to the dentist, or calling Aunt Mabel, do yourself a favor by tackling the tough assignments first.
Evaluate
To what extent do you need to be "up with the latest fashions"? Following Jesus may mean you feel a little out of date at times. Remember the term "planned obsolescence"? It means that marketers intentionally design things to go out of style. If three-piece suits are in style, marketers are creating plans to promote double-breasted blazers. Whether skirt length, wide ties versus narrow, or carpet color, advertising creates a hunger for something. But after a short period, any material purchase will leave you dissatisfied again.Thinking counter-culturally frees you from being a slave to clever marketing.
Don't Fuel Covetousness
Don't watch shopping networks or television shows--or subscribe to magazines--that create "the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, or the boastful pride of life" (see 1 John 2:15-17). Obviously, this includes pornography, which is designed to make us want something we cannot have. But it's also true of certain TV shows and any manner of other visual imagery that make us dissatisfied with what we have, covetous of others, and prone to spend beyond our means.Pray for Change
Pray about every choice you make. External exercises to simplify must be complemented by inner spiritual change to help us deal with the clutter within. Howard Macy writes, "No doubt overcommitted people find help in better time management techniques, as I have, but many of them will use their newfound skills to pack more obligation into their lives rather than to step back from the madcap pace. As they get better, they also get worse, mostly because they are ignoring causes while dealing with symptoms." (Howard R. Macy, "Just Say No," Discipleship Journal (Issue 60, 1990), 29.)
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