Our greatest fear as individuals and as a church should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” Francis Chan
In 2007, as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, Tony Dungy was the first African-American coach to win the Super Bowl. That win made him one of only three individuals who’ve won the Super Bowl as both a player and head coach. I admire the man, but not because of his Super Bowl victories. I admire him because of his passionate desire to walk his life path in a manner that reflects his Christian values. Tony Dungy knows how to distinguish the important from the unimportant and make time for the things that truly matter.
In his book, Uncommon, Finding Your Path to Significance, Coach Dungy says, “We have all missed too many memories and moments in our lives because of poorly ordered priorities. But even so, it’s never too late to set things straight … Start here: ‘Seek first his kingdom.’ (Matthew 6:33). Take a few moments to be quiet and spend time with God. He will lessen your worries about tomorrow and release you from the breathless pace of the world’s urgent priorities.”
Time spent on what matters most will look different to each of us.
We must be intentional with our time, lest we find ourselves on the treadmill of busyness.
We may find ourselves focusing on the urgency of the present, instead of the lasting permanence of significant moments.
Stepparenting is an endeavor that must be taken seriously. We have to learn how to prioritize our tasks and our time and find the right balance.
Here are 5 things I have learned to incorporate into my decision making. They all help me find that balance.
1. Learn to say NO. If it is important to the family, then discuss it and make a decision. But to simplify our schedules, we must learn to say no.
2. Eat right and include regular exercise in your routine. Most of us know we NEED to do this, we just don’t. When we take care of ourselves physically, we better equip ourselves to make good choices. Thus allowing us to focus on the things that matter the most.
3. Get adequate rest. When we get busy, sleep is often the first thing we give up. Don’t do it! Lack of sleep will create problems in other areas of life. Studies have shown that lack of sleep can negatively affect many areas of our life, including hormones and weight gain.
4. Maintain a spiritual journey to bring wholeness and harmony to your being. Find an active Bible study group, attend church regularly, join a prayer group, or use personal study time to grow spiritually. Walking a spiritual road can have a significant effect on our well-being at every level.
5. Make time for a fun activity. Coffee with a girlfriend, date night with our spouse, or simply a walk around the block can create the perfect environment to recharge our batteries when we began to head toward overload.
We have to be intentional with our time and responsibilities if we want to maintain balance.
We all have the same number of hours in a day but how we choose to spend them is our choice.
Do you feel out of balance? What healthy choices will you make to put your schedule in balance?
