Grow Up And Lead YourselfSample

Overworked? Manage Yourself.

By Linda Seidler 

Most of us, at one time or another, have been at a place where we feel we’ve taken on more than we can handle. Our senses are great indicators of when we’re working too much and not enjoying life along the way.

When those moments arise, it’s critical to take a serious look at our priorities, because the feeling of being overworked can lead to feeling overwhelmed, and neither is a place where God intended for us to live.

I firmly believe you can do anything God’s placed a drive inside of you to do, but you can’t do everything that life puts in front of you. Throughout various seasons in ministry, I have learned to disarm the thought that I have to do everything and be everything to everyone.

God did not call me to do it all, but He does expect me to effectively manage all that I do.

So I’ve made it a priority to remind myself that there’s only one person responsible for managing my time in my personal and ministry life. 

That person is me.

Maybe you’re in a season right now where the feeling of being overworked has begun to overtake your joy, and you do not feel equipped for the call on your life. Let me ask this question: Could it be that you’re fully equipped but just mismanaging your time?

Paul shares with us in Ephesians 5:15-16, “So, then, be careful how you live. Do not be unwise but wise, making the best use of your time…” 

Are you making the best use of your time? Remember, you are responsible for managing the time you’ve been given to accomplish God’s call on your life. 

Let me pose some questions to help as you begin to manage yourself:

What are the non-negotiables in your personal and ministry life?

Where have you carved out time for you, your spouse, and your family?

Have you created and woven margin into your personal and ministry life?

Are you able to say no to the non-priorities on your schedule?

Remember, being overworked can affect your overall health and can overshadow the joy of God’s presence in your life by leaving you feeling weak and vulnerable. The Bible tells us in Nehemiah 8:10, “...for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

So if you feel overworked, overwhelmed, and your joy is depleted, then take some time to learn to manage yourself back into a place where life and ministry becomes joyful again.