Overcommitted & Overwhelmed? STOP!
“Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.” Psalm 116:7
Sometimes when I am happily floating down the stream of Occupied, a whirlpool of Overwhelmed rises out of nowhere. I find myself sputtering as I’m suddenly sucked down into Over-commitment. As if in an illogical dream, I try to talk myself out of drowning as the water’s force and pressure overtake me. I reason with myself, believing the shame I feel as I dialogue within my mind.
Nothing I am doing is that hard. I can do these things, and I’m good at them, so I should do them. Since the last foster children left, we have a spot available. Maybe I should say yes to the friend who has been pleading with me to consider the foster child she can’t keep. The child is outside our family’s comfort zone, and we should take a break to catch up on life before we have new foster children move in, but we could make it work.
I try not to guilt myself into saying yes, but this is a real struggle for me at times. Reality sets in when we are engaged in nonstop activities and I miss texts or voicemail messages telling me dates and times have shifted to collide with other plans.
It’s when I hit one of these walls that I stop for a second and look at the situation. I realize I am already doing my part to help kids, and it is okay and necessary to start saying no so we can nurture the relationships in our family and keep up with previous commitments.
I want to commit to helping people and invest in activities that seem valuable or fun. But my life is busy and convoluted. I am slowly learning that the uncomfortable response—no—is better than resenting people for talking me into something I was uncomfortable with from the beginning.
I begin to recognize my need for rest when I realize that I’m not my usual smiley, bubbly self. When I get quiet or begin to withdraw into myself, I realize I need to take time for myself to prevent burnout. I take a nap, go for a walk outside, or take a break from the daily grind.
Sometimes I allow myself to purposefully ignore my messy room and never-ending tasks to pray, journal and reflect. Calling a time-out for myself gives me a chance to stop and make hard decisions as to what needs to be shaved from my schedule when it all feels important. During a rare time-out, I might go to a women’s retreat. I feel restored when I allow myself to be enveloped in God’s rest.
When you feel like you are in a pit Alone, don’t believe the illusion. Quiet yourself before your heavenly Father and know you are loved. He sees you right in the middle of all that surrounds you. He is there with you and has been all along, even in the scary parts of life.
The things that got me through times of burnout were little but Real.
• Praying - “Lord, continue to fill me up with your joy and peace each day. Renew my hope.”
• Breathing in fresh, cold air and looking up at frosted trees or a sunset.
• Sitting by a window on a short winter day and feeling the sunshine pour over me.
• Enjoying a hug, shy smile, or belly laugh from a child in my life.
I release my anxiety as I pray, “Lord, help me to learn this lesson quickly.”
In these little moments, God communicates, I’m here. I see you. I love you. When you come to your end is where I begin to reveal myself.
At times, when it feels like children are doing whatever disrespectful things they want, I cry out from the chaos, Lord, I’ve hit the end of me! I need you to show up here! And he does! Through a child, parent, teacher, or family friend, the Holy Spirit sends the help I need at just the right moment.
Read the full chapter, “Survival Tips to Prevent Burnout for Everyone in the Family,” by purchasing the book through the link. ➤ ➤ ➤