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If you have ever felt the pressure of multiple converging deadlines, or simply too much to do and not enough time to do it all\\u2026 I\'ve got good news! There is a way to get out of overwhelm and into stress-free productivity.
In this week\'s episode, I will help you implement a three-step process to get out of overwhelm and into action.
Here\'s what else is up in this week\'s podcast episode:
ReflectorApp lets you \\u201cAirPlay mirror your iPhone 4S, iPad 2 or the new iPad to any Mac or PC, wirelessly.\\u201d In other words, you can record your iPhone or iPad screen! It\'s just $12.99
You probably believe God can do anything\\u2026 but do you believe He will? Or that He is willing? How about this story\\u2026
And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, \\u201cLord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.\\u201d Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, \\u201cI am willing; be cleansed.\\u201d Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Matthew 8:2\\u20133
Jesus showed that He was not only willing, but did the most amazing thing \\u2013 he touched the leper. This points out the Lord\'s compassion, of course, and also the difference between the Old and New Covenants. In the Old Covenant, if you touched the leper, you became unclean. In the New Covenant, Jesus touches the leper and the leper becomes clean.
Jesus was wiling \\u2013 but is He willing in your case?
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Hebrews 13:8
Whatever your need, Jesus is willing. Be certain of that. And don\'t feel you are disqualified because of things you worry make you unclean. When Jesus touches you, you are made clean!
It\'s the return of Stu McLaren! This week Stu answers the question: what is the value of connecting, really?
It happens to all of us. We get into a situation where it feels as though we\\u2019re faced with multiple deadlines, crisis situations, and a calendar that is jam-packed\\u2026 And it just feels impossible to meet all the demands. How do you get out of a situation like that?
Of course, I am speaking from personal experience. As I am writing this, I am facing one of the busiest seasons of my life. I have a conference that I am hosting coming up in less than two weeks, I have a couple of crucial client projects I\\u2019m working on, a client and friend I am partnering with on a very important project, three books in development, this blog, the weekly podcast, and multiple commitments in my church and ministry.
Many of these activities have deadlines that have, through one series of events or another, coalesced to come due at the same time.
Let me start by saying that I\\u2019m not complaining. The time pressure that I\\u2019m experiencing is almost exclusively brought on by fantastic opportunities that I am extremely grateful for. Nevertheless, I feel the stress of thinking that I\\u2019m going to let someone down.
So what do I do in a situation like this? And more importantly, and the reason you are most likely reading this post, what do you do in a situation like this?
I actually have a strategy that works. I\\u2019ve already applied it to my situation, and I can tell you that if you will follow the steps I\\u2019m about to outline for you, you\\u2019ll discover that you can relieve the pressure, meet your obligations, and be at peace.
You also need to have your calendar, whether that is a Franklin planner, your iPhone, or whatever calendaring system you use.Now, starting with the physical stuff, pick up the first item on top of the pile and decide what to do with it, either do it (if it takes two minutes or less), defer it (schedule it for later, writing into your calendar), delegate it (and it off to someone else and make a note in your calendar about when to check back in with them on this particular issue), or delete it (throw it away). When you\\u2019re finished going through your physical stuff, there should be no that left.Anything you need to keep for reference should be filed quickly and without lingering over. This is the reason for the timer-you\\u2019ve got to make this step quick. Do not get distracted on the rabbit trails. Don\\u2019t give yourself more than an hour total for this entire exercise.
Next, move to your email inbox and go through the same process. As you go through this entire exercise, things will spring to mind that you need to do. Note them on your legal pad. The goal of going through this is that you clear all the physical \\u201cstuff\\u201d off your desk, you clear your inbox to zero, and you track all your commitments either on your calendar or your legal pad. Now you have a good idea of what you are actually committed to. Breathe a sigh of relief.
This is going to leave you with some \\u201cC\\u201d items\\u2026 And these are the things that are neither urgent nor important. Consider just scratching them off your list altogether. If they are not urgent, and they are not important, why on earth are you committed to them? If you find items on this list that you just can\\u2019t let go of, put them on a \\u201cmaybe\\u201d list. That way you will know you haven\\u2019t lost them, that you can always refer back to them, and you can admit that you may never do them.
If you want to get out of the feeling of stress and overwhelm you must not only fight the resistance, you must wrestle it to the ground and choke the life out of it. I know that sounds graphic, I know it sounds dramatic, but this is the real test. Can you defeat the resistance. Can you avoid distraction and procrastination. Can you exercise integrity in the moment and remain committed to the goals and tasks to which you have stated your committed. Resistance is the devil\\u2026 and if you resist the devil, he will flee.
As God has continued to bless me in my business, I have found that having his favor on my life has opened a multitude of doors for me. And it is at these times that I must remember that just because the doors are open is not mean I\\u2019m supposed to pass through them. In fact, I cannot pass through all of them.I am a firm believer in boundaries, especially around your time. I have times when I\\u2019m completely off the clock and do not do any work. Both times are part of my commitment to myself, my God, and my family. I also recognize that there are seasons in my life (and please note that I said \\u201cseasons\\u201d-not \\u201cepochs\\u201d) where I will temporarily move the boundaries. I\\u2019m currently in such a season.
I\\u2019m working longer hours, spending more time on work projects the normal, and maintaining intense focus on my business. These seasons can be compared to the harvest on the farm. I have planted many seeds over the last couple of years, and the crop is coming in. I can either suspend all other activities and get to work on the harvest, or watch all my hard work rot in the field. As for me and my house, we are working the harvest until all the crops are in the barn.
Following these steps has brought me out of that desperate feeling of being overwhelmed, and into the quiet satisfaction of a job well done. I believe that if you will follow them, they will do the same for you.
Do you have an idea for a podcast you would like to hear? Do you have a question that you like to ask me? Please send me an email.
And if you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher.
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