Reflections on a Season of Busy-ness.

For the past two months, I have worked more hours than I have in quite a long time. First, a disclaimer. I do not claim to be ridiculously over-tasked nor do I think my job is anywhere near the most demanding in D.C. I am also quite grateful for my job and have enjoyed a level of responsibility I haven’t had in the past.

Nevertheless, there are time periods where I (and most people) have to dig in and get the job done. For me, that began in September as my organization moved closer to both our annual gala and the launch of an entirely new website. I also took on a side-project video editing for a great organization called The Center for Food Safety. In sum, I bite off more than I could chew. So here are my loose thoughts on how to survive such seasons.

Christ is Everything

There was a point where I turned to a co-worker and simply exclaimed ‘What does one do when you’re starting to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of work and challenges that are hitting you?’ Before I finished the question, I knew the answer. I rest in Jesus. I found it important to remind myself that my work wouldn’t fulfill me, it doesn’t give my life meaning and even success is momentary before the next project has to be tackled. Basing your life on something more permanent, something divine and eternal provides a foundation that isn’t shaken easily. My value comes from my identity in Christ, from a loving God would reconcile me to himself by sending his son to die on the cross, not spreadsheets or tweets. If I didn’t have that rock to cling to, I don’t think I would have handled this season well.

My Sinful Heart is Most Exposed in Times of Stress

Despite doing my best (or not even my best) to rest in Christ, I demonstrated a complete lack of patience and grace during this time period. I found myself more irritable with friends, family and co-workers. When I wasn’t working, I found myself lazy and without my guard up. On a spiritual level, this meant not spending the time pursuing God that I should have. On a physical level, I missed the gym. Work began to consume all of my time. It’s a merciless god. Repent early and often.

Email is a Horrible Way to Communicate in Busy Times (and in general)

Due to increased stress and irritable tempers, I found myself growing enraged by emails that certainly weren’t written with that response in mind. Additionally, emails often lacked clarity or caused confusion. In crunch time, a phone call or in person meeting is key; both for better production and for maintaining one’s sanity. I’m not a fan of email in general, but it’s particular poor when everyone’s on edge.

Decelerating is Difficult

As my crunch time began to wind down, I had an incredibly difficult time getting off the 24/7 mindset. I found myself thinking about work before I went to bed and when I got up despite the fact that the major hurdles had been cleared. This is unsustainable. Spiritually, turning to God in pray to free me of that obsession was the only way forward. Practically, I found a return to my regular routine, particularly the gym, helpful in clearing my head. I heard somewhere (possibly C.S. Lewis via Ben Todd) that those who work with their minds should rest through physical activities and vice-versa. I find that to be acutely true. Once you are passed the busy season, you have to get back to regular schedules. If not, burnout is inevitable, maybe not tomorrow maybe not next year, but no one maintains that pace forever without serious damage to their lives. So when you can, rest.