Ruthlessly remove hurry from your life, Part 2

I recently saw a Charlie Rose interview with Bill Gates and Warren Buffet in which Buffett said, “I can buy anything I want, basically, but I can’t buy time.” (www.youtube.com/watch?v=nH5K0yo-o1A) In the interview Gates exclaims his surprise at finding Buffett’s calendar had days with no appointments. In Part 2 of this article we need to explore a bit more about how to practically, and ruthlessly, remove hurry from your life.

First embrace the idea that hurry doesn’t mean productivity. If one of the wealthiest persons in the world leaves days empty we should take the hint. Hurry reduces productivity, but it’s difficult to embrace that in a culture that values busyness. You need a rest; you were wired for rest, and there are some ways you can find rest?

Sabbath is God’s design for resting. Sabbath means rest, and you need one. One of Jesus’ teachings in the New Testament was, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27). The reason for keeping Sabbath isn’t to make God happy, but to experience abundant life. Commit to one day each week without work or hurry. If your first thought is, “I don’t have time” then you need it more than you can even imagine. Commit yourself to one day of rest every week for a month and see if there are benefits. Even half a day would make a difference.

There are other things to try. Instead of lunch meetings eat your lunch alone in the park. Leave your phone in the car.

Take five minutes three times during the day just to be quiet; set reminders on your phone.

Leave five minutes early and set your cruise control at exactly, or a little under, the speed limit. I find this a delightfully refreshing way to slow down externally and internally.

Purposefully get in the longest checkout line in the store and use those moments to breathe… be thankful for the person with coupons, it’s giving you more time.

Leave the radio off on the drive to and from work.

There are lots of benefits to this, but you’ll notice that it will reduce your sense of hurry. You need less hurry. Remember, “In returning and resting is my salvation… In quietness and confidence is my strength.” (Isaiah 30:15)

This article was written on behalf of the Moses Lake Christian Ministerial Association.