4. Value The Rests

We can be sure 
that the greatest hope 
for maintaining equilibrium 
in the face of any situation 
rests within ourselves. – Francis J. Braceland

Patience is the companion of wisdom. – Saint Augustine

Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop. – Ovid

The hurrier I go, 
the behinder I get. – Anonymous

Compare you life to a musical composition. See if you can remember a piece of music with points where rests are very critical. I know that rests are important in every piece of music, however, many times they are viewed a non-musical or as “nothings” that are an absence of sound. The rests give value to what has just preceded it and give energy to what comes next. Rests are punctuation. Rests have value in themselves.

Build your schedule with intentionality and you will create balance in your life. Is the trite saying is true, “Ask a busy person to do something and you will have it done.” Well, it’s true – sometimes. EFFECTIVE, busy people know how to budget their time and get things done. DRIVEN, busy people work until everything is done – no matter how long it takes. Don’t be driven, be intentional and balanced.

Being balanced provides time for work, time for rest, time for recreation, time for reflection, and time for planning. All of these are elements for success. If you leave out one element, you can easily get out of balance.

This puts the responsibility on you to set boundaries and plan your life. When you plan, you get to define what you will do and what you are not going to do. It’s defining what you are not going to do, that will set you apart from the frantic and weary leader that is driven. Planning takes time – initially because you are not used to planning in detail. In the long-term, planning saves time, money, and energy. You save energy and time for the creative, essential tasks that will define your leadership and your legacy as leader.

Know where to put rests in your life. Use them and value them. Protect your time and your energy. It’s up to you.