SLL Week 4 – Wonderful Wednesday & A Great Book Giveaway!

If the devil can’t hinder our relationship with God by making us immoral, he’ll simply make us busy.

That’s a sad, yet true, reality. For many of us, we are doing everything possible to stay grounded in our faith, trust God, and seek His peace in the midst of stressful circumstances, and trying to stay positive and optimistic like I talked about on Monday’s post. But despite that effort, our to-do lists seem overwhelming, pressures run rampant, and the stress of life is is about to push over the edge of sanity.

Screen Shot 2015-09-15 at 7.30.29 PMThis week’s chapter readings (Chapters 7 and 8) focus on overcoming the giant stressors in our lives and the dangerous role that an addiction to adrenaline can cause in our stress levels and whether or not we are able to reap God’s peace.

So today I’m so excited to break things up a bit, and share a post from my precious friend Glynnis Whitwer, who knows a lot about stress hormones and how they affect our ability to manage our workload. And I’ll be giving away a copy of her new book Taming The To-Do List! 

To enter to win a copy of this week’s giveaway, just answer one of the questions below in the comments section! And be sure to read the bottom of the post to find out how everyone can get two free time management planner sheets from Glynnis.

____________________

 

I work better under pressure!

Maybe you haven’t spoken these words, but have you thought them? Most of us have.

There is something about pressure that motivates us to work harder.  And there’s nothing like an approaching deadline to light a fire under us.

But do we really work better under those conditions?  Well, that’s somewhat of a myth.

Perhaps you’ve felt the rush of adrenalin to meet a deadline. It can be exhilarating. Your mind finally feels focused, your energy level high, and you might even enjoy doing the work. But very few, if any, of us are glad we waited until the last minute.

But the idea that we work better under pressure is a myth we tell ourselves to justify our delay. As with many myths, this one gets its start in some truth, and with a helpful hormone called adrenalin.

Adrenalin is a stress hormone released from the adrenal glands above our kidneys when we are afraid, angry or excited.  It’s God’s gift of energy to prepare you for action. If you’ve ever slammed on your brakes and barely missed getting in to an accident, you’ve probably felt it surge through your body.  This is an adrenalin rush.

An adrenalin rush can be very helpful when facing the stress of an approaching deadline. On the surface, you might think you are working better under the pressure. The truth is, some people need the stress of an approaching deadline to just do the work.

Working “better” requires time for most of us. Time allows me to think without pressure. When I’m at deadline, deep processing is an extravagance.  In my rush to finish, the results will be superficial and lacking richness and depth. Depending on the severity of the consequences of missing the deadline, sometimes I can’t think clearly at all.

This is because that same adrenalin rush infusing us with energy has a side effect. It hinders our executive processing, which makes it hard to problem solve, thereby compromising the quality of our work.

Researchers Amy Arnsten, Carolyn M. Mazure and Rajita Sinha, professors at Yale University, have studied the brain’s response to stress, and have uncovered the detrimental affect of stress hormones on the prefrontal cortex where our executive processing happens. When life is calm, the prefrontal cortex acts as the manager of our brains, overseeing and solving problems, and keeping our emotions under control.

Researchers are learning, however, it doesn’t take much to upset this delicate balance of mental processing and emotional response.  Authors Arnsten, Mazure and Sinha write, “Under even everyday stresses, the prefrontal cortex can shut down, allowing the amygdala, a locus for regulating emotional activity, to take over, inducing mental paralysis and panic.”

So how do we deal with this limitation? How do we create situations where we can focus to the best of our ability?

The answer is to protect our touchy prefrontal cortex by building in time for calm consideration. Just knowing I’m compromising my ability to concentrate when I rush, motivates me to build margin into everything I do.

So whether it’s driving to an appointment, preparing for a meeting, or making a shopping list, I need time to think clearly and wisely.  I like to add a cushion of time to everything I do, knowing things usually take longer than I expect.

Keeping a schedule can also help. Take some time on a quiet Saturday morning to think through what needs to be done in the coming week. Make a list. Then assign tasks to certain times in the week, allowing an extra 15-30 minutes to get them done.

The Lord designed us with great intentionality, and our stress response is for our good. We just need to learn to work within God’s design and not against it.

Taking time not only reduces our stress, but we honor God when we work at our best. Doing our best work is a spiritual practice because the Bible says everything we do is for the Lord: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24, NIV).

Glynnis Whitwer is a wife, mother of five young adults and executive director of communications for Proverbs 31 Ministries. Her latest book, Taming the To-Do List: How to Choose Your Best Work Every Day is available from Proverbs 31 Ministries. As a bonus for purchasing from Proverbs 31, Glynnis has prepared two time-management planner sheets to help you get control of your to-do list.  CLICK HERE for more information. 

____________________

LET’S CHAT!! DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEK

(Please answer at least one of the questions below to enter to win a copy of Glynnis’s new book TAMING THE TO-DO LIST.  Leave your comments  in the comment section only, email replies will not qualify.)

“Real victory is when we learn to live with more joy and less stress, even when we can still see the giants looming off in the distance.” (pg 145)

Is your view of your ‘giant’ (whatever is causing you the most stress) blocking your view of God and His sovereignty and possibly keeping you stressed and anxious? How would claiming God’s peace in this change your life?

Has my to-do list, or my addiction to adrenaline and trying to do too much, been causing me a lot of stress? What things might I lay down so I can focus specifically on what God has called me to do today?

____________________

GRAPHICS TO SHARE ONLINE 

& BLOG HOP PROMPTS 

Bloggers: right click on the image you plan to write your blog post about, and “save image as” to save to your computer,  share in your blog post if desired. Then come back here on Friday to link it up!

Everyone: From the blog home page, there are 3 ways to share the graphics:  1-Right click to save to your computer   2-‘Share Image’ in bottom right corner   3-‘Pin’ to Pinterest upper left corner.

Wk4_Q_SLLstudy_2015

Wk4_V_SLLstudy2015

Wk3_V_SLLstudy2015

17 Comments

  1. Kimberly on Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at 8:13 am

    My word for the year is joy. After reading this, I realize I am both an adrenaline junkie and a list maker. I hadn’t looked at it in quite the way you explained it. This was an aha moment for me. 🙂 I am waiting to talk to dr about some tests and felt God’s peace initially. I woke up this morning with a knot in my stomach. The what ifs are creeping in on my peace. I will moment by moment try to keep my peace and that will help keep my adrenaline down and my thought process more rational.
    The old cliche, “Let go and let God” rings true today.



  2. Terri G. on Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at 8:29 am

    I used to say all the time I work better under pressure, especially when I was younger. It was my excuse for putting things off. Sometimes I even made it work for me. Now I feel like time is my enemy. There never seems to be enough of it. Yes, I know there are several things I could put down to be closer to God-my problem is taking the actions to do so. I want to learn how and have peace.



  3. Lori on Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at 9:40 am

    My to-do list causes me a lot of stress. Not the actual list itself, but what it represents. Procrastination until I am forced to address the things on my list. The procrastination comes from one big word for me, which is one of the things I need to lay down so I can focus on what God wants me to do not only today, but tomorrow, etc. That word is perfectionism.



  4. Sharon C. on Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at 9:43 am

    My giant is my weight. I’ve had this giant a long time. It has become my companion whether I’m lonely or happy. If I could find peace with God and forgive myself the way God forgives me I think I could conquer this giant and find joy and happiness in my life. You’ve heard the saying that you look for love in all the wrong places. I think that’s what I’ve done. It’s like I blame myself for my failure along with other peoples failures. I used to be the one that was a multi tasker because I thought people would like me if I got things done. Trying to do more made up for me being slow. Others could goof off while I stayed busy and it would wind up evenly . That was the first part of needing love. The second part was that my Earthly Father couldn’t and didn’t know how to love so I didn’t have a clear concept of what real love was. I think studying this book I’m going to get my mindset on what the true vision of being content and happy and finding the purpose God has for me. Seeing that I don’t have to always feel out of place when I abiding in His LOVE. I think God put this group of ladies together so we can get an honest outlook on life and God’s love for us. I hope this makes sense. I want to work on my self-image so I can help others in need. I hope your not laughing to hard because I never thought of this before. Love you Tracie and Diana.



  5. Cathy on Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at 10:16 am

    The problem I have is that I have too many “giants” (selling a house, building a house out of state, managing a chronic pain condition) that I have a difficult time seeing God’s plan for me. I know that all of my problems are unknowns and I must be fearing their outcomes but I need to trust in my Lord and know that through Him all good things are possible. I will take moments throughout my day reminding myself of His peace.



  6. Pam Crosby on Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at 10:26 am

    I have always thought I worked better under stress and did my best work right before the deadline. Now I wonder how many years I have taken off my life by doing this. Now that I am older I can’t live under the strain. I am asking God what can I stop doing to give margin to my life. Margin to fill with Him. Margin to fill with joy. Father, please help me, I can’t do this by myself!



  7. June Biedma on Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at 10:39 am

    I am working at savoring as many moments of my life as possible and feeling those magnificent bursts of joy in my heart while keeping my giant of pancreatic cancer in check. The Lord is my Shepherd.



  8. Vonnie on Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at 10:50 am

    My Big giant is my weight gained recently. I can’t really exercise because of my brain injury condition & I thought I was eating good stuff to help me process my food But now I must be over doing those foods. I love To Do Lists & I might be over doing them too & it may soon become a giant so I could definitely use a good book to help me keep God in them



  9. Maya on Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at 2:58 pm

    My Giant has been my desire to move, to change locations, which has caused me to be impatient, frustrated and stressed. I pray to remember that God has His plan, the best plan for me. He is in control, and with Him all things are possible. Help me dear Lord to be appreciative and grateful for all that I have. Please help me to become an actual servant right where I am. Help me to find rest in You. Please help me to take your instruction as my life and soul.



  10. Laura Navarro on Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at 3:44 pm

    Has my to-do list, or my addiction to adrenaline and trying to do too much, been causing me a lot of stress? What things might I lay down so I can focus specifically on what God has called me to do today?

    In my prior life I would totally wait until the last minute. Or even better wait until I was on a conference call where I should have my focus and instead would be working on some task from the last conference call or email.
    Gap being diagnosed with cancer has changed a lot of things, but since I’ve been out of work since this gnosis I’m not sure this trait is ‘cured’ yet or just dormant because I’m in a different place right now, I will definitely need to watch out for this if I end up going back to work.



  11. Deb on Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at 3:54 pm

    We are in a season of change – my husband’s job was terminated, we feel the Lord has asked us to move closer to family, our house sold quickly with the option of renting for a few months til we move. I’m going through ‘stuff’ in anticipation of the move and now.we.wait. God is doing a work in each of us, showing us to enjoy the present and not stress over the future. I’d love a copy of the book – I’m a list maker and enjoy the sense of accomplishment at checking it off but in this season of ‘wait’ God’s showing me it’s good to be still. Whew!



  12. Maria on Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at 4:34 pm

    I know the busyness of life has stolen my joy a lot. I sure do need to hear that great word u gave us. God is sovereign and he will provide for all of my needs. I need to give it to Him and not allow the busyness to drown me of joy. The joy of the Lord is our strength! Amen!



  13. Debra S on Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at 6:26 pm

    I know that adrenal gland rush very well. I have lots of practice with it. I live with two ADHD men. One is my husband and the other my son. They need that adrenal rush to achieve executive functioning in their prefrontal cortex. But not me. I do not need the extra cortisol as it only adds to the inflammation in my system already. I used to live in a constant state of alertness, waiting for the other shoe to fall. I had plan b & c waiting in the wings, just in case. I ran through every senario more than once, so I had a pre-plan to prevent having to use plan b or c. I no longer run on that circular treadmill. I am learning to let go.



  14. Maureen W on Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at 9:46 pm

    My to do list is causing me stress for sure. I have so much at work yet refuse to ask for help when I need time!! My heart rate goes up with every email that comes in. I need to learn to let go and get help.



  15. Becky C on Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at 11:10 pm

    Every day I wake up and do a mental check-off of what I want to accomplish each day. God should be my number 1 priority. I think if I re-arrange what I think are my priorities(like my phone, internet, etc) I would have more time to focus on God and do Bible study daily.



  16. Beth on Thursday, October 8, 2015 at 3:32 pm

    When something is overwhelming me, I have a really hard time just finding and focusing on God. If I could just let myself receive His peace, I know it would do wonders for my disposition and for the atmosphere in my home.



  17. Trish on Saturday, October 17, 2015 at 11:24 am

    My giants consists of anger, irritability and anxiety all day every day. I know I should spend more time reading the bible but I always put it on the back burner to everything else on my to do list, even though in my heart I know it should be given top priority.



Headshot Flipped 2

Tracie Miles is a bestselling author and the Director of COMPEL Training with Proverbs 31 Ministries.  She helps women grow stronger in their faith, pursue the life of purpose God designed them for and live a life of peace, joy and happiness despite their circumstances.

Living-Unbroken-3DwithShadow

Available Now!

Subscribe to Tracie’s Blog

Receive the Living Unbroken Battle Plan Workbook for free if you subscribe to Tracie’s blog today!
Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

Tracie's Books