Pace Yourself
The old saying goes, ‘Slow and steady wins the race.’ The old tale of the Tortoise and the Hare warns us well. Though I would not say that going slow is the way to go, it is better than staying put. But trying to slam, cram, and jam as much activity into your schedule and routine can be quite harmful to your growth and progress.
There are, and will always be, seasons throughout life that are more demanding of your time and energy. There will be times when things arise that are unexpected and unseen. Adjust. Simply make short-term adjustments, until the situation is resolved or properly addressed.
Life is a marathon, not a short sprint to the finish line. In a marathon, runners will set a pace to run the race that is brisk, and steady. Marathon runners do not sporadically, or randomly change their pace throughout the race. You will not see them running, walking, and sprinting. You will notice that they set a deliberate, brisk, and steady pace for the duration of the race. This is a great approach when it comes to pursuing goals, fine-tuning your schedule, or making necessary adjustments in life.
Sprinting sporadically in a marathon is not an ideal game plan for success. Similarly, putting too much into your schedule and routine will leave you burned out and exhausted mentally, physically, and even emotionally. Trying to sprint your way through everything that you cram into your schedule will take a heavy toll, really quickly. Have you ever watched someone make a New Year’s resolution about their health and weight? They hit the gym with great zeal and excitement, but quickly give up because they do not see immediate or incredible results. If they would have chosen to set some longer-term goals and established an approach that was more progressive than aggressive, their success would have been more likely.
Most people realize that there are seasons to the lives that we live. Not everything can be done during each and every season of life. Sometimes we have other priorities or things that take a higher precedent during one season or another. For example, having children will significantly affect your life, your goals, and how you prioritize things in your schedule. Having kids requires a lot of focus, energy, work, and effort. While your kids are at home, they are one of your top priorities. Once they move out of your home, you will find more time to do or pursue other things.
Sometimes, you may be able to push your pace and make more intentional adjustments. For me, the weekends provide this opportunity. I get up at the same time that I do during the week. I have a three-hour window between when I wake up, and when my family starts to wake up. During this time I usually help straighten up the house, do dishes, and fold laundry. Once I finish with those, I will start working on my weekly blog, work on writing a book (if I am at that time), and work out. I take that three-hour window and maximize it. How about you? Is there a window of opportunity during your week where you can put in some extra, intentional work toward your goals?
When it comes to achieving your goals, it takes time. It will take work. It will take practice. It also means that you will have to make adjustments. These are all part of the process. You will need to set a pace that is manageable and also allows you to grow and make personal progress toward goals. Do not get burned out by trying to get too much done in an unrealistic amount of time. Pace yourself. Push yourself. But do not fall into the trap of trying to do too much or overloading your schedule and routine.