Crazy Busy...Row in Rhythm

By Dale Shumaker
4spirit@gmail.com

We are so busy;
it is developing into a form of cultural ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) says Edward M. Hallowell author of Crazy Busy: Overstretched, Overbooked, and About to Snap! Strategies for Coping in a World Gone ADD.

We multi-task. We Blackberry. We email and text message. We click, click, click. We go, go, go; faster, faster, faster...but still everything, everyone’s too slow. The whole world is at our fingertips, ear piece, an eye sight away. Basically, we are going crazy with too much, too fast, and all at the same time. What Hallowell calls the F-state (living in a frenzy).

A problem we all seem to be having is a cultural neurosis developing. And what is scary is that we’re accepting it as acceptable lifestyle. It’s a frenzied fast, faster, fastest in stocks to sports, food to fuel, marketing to management. Getting it done now, hurry, hurry, hurry. Stay late, broadband’s too slow, multi-task... in and out, fast food, move on to the next frenzy... so we can get into more frenzy.

Dr. Hallowell has invented several words to describe this. Here's a few.
Screensucking. The wasting time engaging with many screens...computer, TV, video games, blackberries.
Leeches and Lilies... Leeches are people /projects that that waste your time. Lilies make time fulfilling.
Gigaguilt. Fear of missing something or disappointing someone. Details we may over look that we worry about when missed.
Taildogging. Going faster, pushing harder on yourself, children, employees simply for demanding more from everyone around you.
Morning Burst. The time in the morning when most productive, creative, effective, best problem solving time. Your best time.
Frazzing. Multi-tasking ineffectively. In most cases multi-tasking hurts being effective. We do our best doing one thing at a time.
Gemmelsmerch. The force that distracts or steals attention from what you ought to do.

Move from the F-state to the C-state:
F-state: frenzied, flailing, fearful, forgetful, flustered, furious, frantic.
C-state: calm, cool, collected, consistent, concentrated, careful, courteous, coordinated.

Juggling may be fun to watch at a 3-ring circus, but your life doesn't have to be one. It's not productive, nor creates happiness or enjoyably satisfying. So why do we do it?

So much of our psychological needs today seem to require
needing more excitement(fast paced),
needing to be admired for accomplishing much,
or are we busy because we really are afraid to get to know ourselves...who we really are, and find out what we need to work on in ourselves.

Hallowell's solution: Slow down... Take time, find a place to just Think.
Find out what is most important in your life.
Create a system. Find what fulfills. Do what matters most to you and you don't have to do it all. He provides a matrix for consciously, and systematically assessing your use of time and discovering your top fulfillment buttons in your life.

You can manage modern life.
Here's Hallowell's ten key principles.
1.Do what matters to you.
2.Create positive emotional environments
3.Find your rhythm... we all have a rhythm that fits us. Find yours.
4.Invest your time wisely to get maximum return that fulfills you.
5.Don't waste time screensucking.
6.Control sources of gemmelsmerch...solving computer glitches, reading magazines, mail, email, TV, drop ins, flirtations.
7.Delegate. Do what you like to do and are good at. Get others to do the rest. Learn effective interdependence.
8. Slow down.
9.Don't multi-task ineffectively. Give one important item your full attention. Mix mindless with mindful activity.
10.Play. Imaginatively engage with what you are doing.

.... So prioritize, plan, systematize, and execute in a single focus.
Fast is not better, and slow can have its benefits. More is not necessary and less can reduce stress.

Move on to the C-state.
Connect with people/projects that matter the most to you.
Control technology and don't let it control you.
It is your slave not your master.
Cancel some people and organizational activities.
They probably can make it just fine without you.
Create structures and systems in your life
that help you get organized. Define personal priorities.
Care for what you care for most.
You don't have to do everything.
Cultivate your lilies; discard your leeches.

Figure out what you want;
then do it, let the rest go.

Hallowell has a free "help you through this" email service at:
http://www.crazybusylife.com/


Learn to live in rhythm of Spirit.

"Cease striving... know that I am God!"
(Psalm 46: 10 NASB)

"My purposes will be established.
I will accomplish the goals I set."
(Isaiah 46:10 NASB)

"Only I can tell you what is to happen before it happens.
Everything I plan will come to pass. For I do everything I wish."
(Isaiah 46:10 NLT)

So why do we, in a manic like state, rush around so. It is like life depends solely on us.

We need to only get into His Rhythm,
in His Flow in Spirit.
We then will Float in Spirit.
Enter His Presence. He accomplishes great feats there.
“For the Lord goes before you.”
(Isaiah 52:12)

We wait....

Just wait...

Jesus told His disciples to .... wait... and then "when" the Holy Spirit comes you will have Power, above your earthly abilities. My peace I give to you. I do the hard stuff, you just follow Me... Jesus would say.

Soak in His Presence... His all knowing, all places-at-one-time presence, working the world as He plans with his power that accomplishes what He sets out to.

Take time, first to rest, relax, totally recline in His Spirit before you do anything. Enter Spirit’s Sanctuary. Take this time to think on God's Powerful Greatness. Relish in Thought in Great things He is doing on your behalf. Dream on what He has for you… what your role is in His Presence.

Spirit is putting your inspired thoughts in motion at that time. Your images of mind are being carried out by Spirit at that time. It's in this place the earth is moved and changed.

It's here, you have peace, joy and action on your behalf. Serenity is here... a totally confident deeply relaxed state.

In this serenity is where action is activated. Here all the Heavens of the Universe Realms of Spirit Open up for you.
It is yours.
For you.
At your disposal.
And the Power goes to work as you enjoy, rest, reside and float in His Presence.

Get in this Rhythm of Spirit.
It is Floating in the raft on a deep slow river that lets you smell the lilies as you go by.

Wait...

Just wait...

Be still...

and Know...

Be still in Spirit.

Spirit is your master.
Mind and body are slaves to Spirit.
Make them that.

Spirit rests you,
communicates to you,
works on your behalf.
It communicates to mind and body.

Spirit made mind, and body.
It regulates, systematizes mind and body.
Make mind and body slaves to Spirit...
the creative power of the universe.

In Spirit, your mind is renewed. Order is put around you.
You live in a rhythm of Spirit-directed intelligence.
Our body's must rest to heal and refresh.

In Spirit the renewal builds for you.
Let the mind rest too.
Allow only Spirit life to flow in
and out of your mind.

When Spirit orders your life,
It flows with ease
It fulfills
It walks in joy.

“My demands are easy,
my requirements are light.”
Jesus says.

“I do the work for you.
You enjoy the process
of using the natural gifts
I placed in you.”

“I live in you and help you
solve problems. You don't have
to tackle them alone...

“I give you rest. Rest in Me.
The Sabbath was made for you. Rest in Me.”

“I give you a day to rest, refresh, renew
re-vision, re-hope while you rest, I work for you.”
Jesus says.

“Whatever you choose to obey
becomes your master.”
Romans 6:16 (NLT)

Choose to obey Spirit.
Let Spirit be your Master.