Resource Management: How to Protect Your Mental & Spiritual Health

Katie and I spent about 6 hours getting ready and playing around before we shot this look, plus two others in just under an hour, ha! The location was BEAUTIFUL and while I had a total of 5 or 6 outfits ready to shoot, sadly we only had time to shoot half the looks we’d planned for We (and by “we” I mean me, of course) had so poorly managed our time that day, so that all our efforts to plan, steam and get photo ready came to a halt when I realized we had less than an hour to shoot everything!!

This reminds me of how easy it is to get caught up in little things on the daily. Things that don’t serve my long term goals, honor God or foster a close-knit family environment. And it’s not even just about time management; It’s about emotional and mental resource management, you know?

“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” Proverbs 16:3

For example: I have three kiddos who LOVE to come home early on Wednesdays, when both Luke and I skip the gym for family game night. It’s an evening where nobody has to stay late for after-school-care, but instead, the girls get to rush home and help prepare an early dinner that will leave plenty of time for all our favorite board games, a “popsicle walk” (which is pretty self explanatory) and lots of snuggles during reading hour before bed. We pray and then sing songs without feeling rushed, because the evening is open and affords us enough time to enjoy each activity before moving onto the next. It’s a true blessing for me, Luke and the girls. It’s our favorite night of the week.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16

This get’s me thinking, what are some other areas in my life, where I could be better organized, pared-down and at rest? I certainly don’t want to be anxiously running from one thing to the next with my eyes glued to my phone. What kind of opportunities to connect with others do I miss by mismanaging my time and resources? Recently, I’ve found myself convicted of two small things: to skip curling my hair and leave my phone inside my purse in order to arrive 10 minutes earlier to any given destination. One saves me 15-20 minutes in my day, which I am often in desperate need of, and the other allows me to remain open and present throughout the day. Besides, God is the only one who should have my rapt, undivided attention 24-7.

“Be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10

If I decided to curl my hair and barely make it onetime, or if I felt the need to check my email, with my gaze on my phone the entire way, which opportunities to spread kindness would I have missed? And if we spend a majority of our lives overcommitted to things that leave us empty afterward and make us less effective at simply loving on others, can we honestly claim to be living out God’s purpose for our lives? 

“Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:27

As a personal challenge this week, I’d love to leave you with the three tips on how to better reserve and manage your mental and spiritual health:

1. Running late? Skip one thing: This goes for all my girls out there who run infamously severeral minutes late to each and every appointment or commitment of the day. A good friend shared this tip with me, who adopted it from her husband: Keep a timer running after you’ve mapped out what time you need to leave the house, then with a 10 minute marker, choose to skip one thing in your getting ready routine in order to leave the house on time. This could mean- opting for a go-to outfit instead of spending an extra 5 minutes for a wow-style! It could mean, pulling your hair back into a chic knot instead of doing a head full of curls. Whatever it is, give yourself the time you need and give your appointment the respect it deserves to be on time!
2. Phone down, chin up: Sadly, I have found myself all too often glued to my phone in the interim moments this last year. It’s a missed opportunity to be present, to make eye connect and honestly, to offer kindness and love to those you come into contact with. God placed us here to be the salt of the earth, to offer comfort and joy and to spread His good news. How will we ever see those hurting or in need around us, if we check out of the present moment and check into our phone’s all day?
3. Say Yes to Rest: This is a big one for A-type personalities, over achievers and moms alike. We want to do it all and we end up dropping the ball in every area or caving under the pressure. Even if we don’t break per say, if we are running around on empty, snapping at our kids and stressed out all the time, we leave no mental energy to show love, patience and kindness. And our closest friends and families will be the first to suffer from this. So, make a point to intentionally schedule in a day of rest and hours of rest per day. This may look like marking certain family nights as sacred, sans playdates, etc. Or it may look like getting the kids to bed on time each night so that you and hubs can have more than 15 minutes to talk and unwind together. We certainly want to carve out time to pray…

Anyhow, I hope these simple tips and insights inspire and empower you to slow down and rest up. When our cups are full, we can pour out into those around us with genuine peace and joy. God rested on the 7th day and asks us to remember it as well. xoxo

“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.” Proverbs 3:27