I clicked on an article at desiregod.org and the first line was “Do you ‘manage’ your energy?”
Instantly, the article had my attention. Energy is a limited resource. And if we aren’t careful with where we spend our energy, we will inevitably spend it on things of lesser importance. And with that, we will feel as if we don’t have time for the things we deem priorities in our life. We’ve all been there. Convinced we don’t have time to work-out, or read the Bible, or eat healthily or read to our kids. But, isn’t that ultimately because we aren’t managing our time and energy?
The article quotes Tony Schwartz saying, “Unlike computers, however, human beings aren’t meant to operate continuously, at high speeds, for long periods of time. Rather, were designed to move rhythmically between high and low electrical frequencies. Our hearts beat at varying intervals. Our lungs expand and contract depending on demand. It’s not sufficient to be good at inhaling. Indeed, the more deeply you exhale, the calmer and more capable you become (Manage Your Day-to-Day, 51).
Of course, I love that he refers to the rhymic cycle of the body. We are meant to have highs and lows, inhales, but also the same amount of exhales, and the ability to raise our heart rate and then slow it down, with the demands of our day. Isn’t that comforting? Humans are designed to go, go, go then slow, slow, slow. Do you feel like that gives you permission to carve out time for rest and rejuvenation? Knowing that it is not only a want but also a need, will you allow yourself to pause?
Pause the television, the podcast, the excess pressure, and make room for the rest. Remember, rest to the body (and mind) does not always mean doing nothing. In fact, it often means a change of scenery, a change of position, a release in tension, an increase in motion. It means awareness to forgotten body parts, to aches and pains, to hunger signals, to problems that have been ignored.
