While at the beach the other day I was watching a little ghost crab at work. He labored intensely for hours taking sand out of his sandy burrow.
It reminded me of the daily grind we are all in. For us pastors, the job is a 24/7. Sometimes people ask, “How was your day off?” I reply with a smile, “What day off?” A pastor’s work is so multifaceted.
I am a minister of etcetera!
From studying and preaching to being by the bedside of the dying to cleaning toilets (if the need arises) a pastor has to be willing and ready for anything. It’s the nature of the beast! Ministry can be extremely draining and is often discouraging so it must be effectively managed daily.
You may not be a pastor but your career demands are taking a toll. And if you’re a stay-at-home parent the load, at times, is overwhelming.
How do you give your day a powerful boost? Get unplugged.
Unplugged? I’m referring to moments during your day that emotionally and psychologically take you to a happy place in your mind. If you’re into electronics think of it as a quick reboot that resets your happiness system.
In a way, unplugging is similar to ‘me time.’
I did a quick research of ‘me time’ only to find that 100% of the articles and blogs I came across focused strictly on women…kind of disappointing.
Hey, I can lose myself in a warm Victoria’s Secrets bubble bath like the next guy (or girl). But what about finding refreshment (some me time) during the daily grind?
I remember when Jesus Christ told His disciples, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest a while.” (Mark 6:31 NLT)
For all practical purposes the word ‘rest’ was like a pause, a time-out from the daily pressure cooker the Lord and His disciples found themselves in.
Yes! A time-out for the brain is what you and I are after, a mental pause in that office of yours, cubicle, or wherever you do whatever you do.
Keep in mind that unplugging doesn’t have to mean isolation from others. Although it’s easier to meditate when you isolate you can still become raptured while in the middle of a crowd.
Recently, while at Megacon, I became unplugged! Although there were thousands of people there, the stress of life was relieved as my head seemed like on a swivel taking in all the sights and sounds.
You may be thinking, “Awesome, but my work is more like Megabore. And the atmosphere is Megatense. Beyond that, there’s Megadrama going on among employees.”
My reply: Get unplugged. Make it happen, otherwise no one is going to do it for you.
Unplugging may be as simple as pushing your chair back and silently re-connecting with your Maker in prayer. That’s a power boost for sure.
Accomplishing manageable short term goals during your day is another way to unplug. Concentrate on making things happen.
I was recently helping file countless of papers at my wife’s work. After a while I got unplugged from the drudgery of filing by focusing on short stacks and turning on some Aerosmith (I’m not your stereotypical pastor). Then I was in the zone (the filing zone, if there is such a thing) I was having such a time I was even asked to tone it down some!
Unplug yourself! Think of that person that makes you smile. Face time that person for 1 minute. It’ll make a world of good.
You can also do a brief unplug by taking a few moments to day dream about something exciting you have coming up. Unplugged! It works!
How do you unplug?
Wise words, Jorge! I used to ‘bury’ myself in a sci-fy novel, or a Clive Cussler Dirk Pitt adventure, but I haven’t done that in a while. Maybe it’s time to start turning the pages again! Thanks for the ‘kick-start’!
Clive Cussler Dirk Pitt adventure? That’s a new one for me but if it works, more power to you!
This year you even had to work on the beach (wedding) but I Thank You so much for taking the time during your vacation to make my kids wedding a great one.
Had a blast! When you do what you love for people you love it doesn’t feel like work, brah!