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You are here: Home / Archives for 1 - Productivity / g Renewal

Throwing Sheep into a Pit: The Discipline of Sabbath Rest

August 6, 2016 by Rachel Poel

Guest post by Rachel Poel

When I was a student, I would justify studying on Sunday by quoting Matthew 12:11-12: “He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” But many weekend afternoons, exhausted from a full week of classes, work, and studying, I would put off studying for a Monday morning test or drafting a paper due on Tuesday—effectively throwing that sheep into the pit myself.

Taking a Sabbath takes intentionality. Resting well is hard work.

There will be days when sheep are leaping into pits, when your kids all get the flu on a Sunday or your venue falls through days before a retreat. When these days come, do that work well. Your standing before God does not depend on how clear your Sunday schedule is.

But if you find yourself regularly planning projects for Sunday afternoon, consider the heart of Sabbath. God calls us to join Him in His rest. He gives us the Sabbath as a gift: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28).

How are we receiving this gift?

We don’t rest to maximize our productivity later.
We rest to remember that our worth does not hinge on our productivity.

Our struggle to let go of our to-do lists and inboxes for a day shows how much we really need this rest. We don’t rest to maximize our productivity later. We rest to remember that our worth does not hinge on our productivity. We rest because we are children and God is the Father. We rest because we are creatures and God is the Potter. We rest because we are saved and God is the Savior.

How will you plan this week to take time to know that God is God?


Rachel Poel recently graduated from Wheaton College with a BA in English Literature. Since graduating, she has been working on projects with Useful Group. Rachel lives in Aurora, Illinois with too many books and a very large puppy.

 

Filed Under: g Renewal

Recovery is Not Slacking

May 29, 2014 by Matt Perman

This is a great video of Tony Schwartz speaking at the 99U conference on the importance of managing energy, not just time, in order to be productive.

We often act like our digital devices — as though we can just work constantly without letup. And those who take a break to, for example, hit an art museum or play frisbee golf in the afternoon in an attempt to renew their energy are accused of being slackers.

But renewal is not slacking; it is the key to staying mentally alert and keeping our energy up. While he doesn’t use the examples of frisbee golf and art museums, in this video Tony Schwartz (author of The Power of Full Engagement) makes a great case on how we need to understand better how to manage our energy if we are going to increase our capacity to get things done.

(HT: Asian Efficiency)

Tony Schwartz: The Myths of the Overworked Creative from 99U on Vimeo.

Filed Under: g Renewal

Effective People Know When to Work and When To Rest

November 3, 2010 by Matt Perman

Good thoughts from the Brazen Careerist blog.

Filed Under: g Renewal

Probably Not Too Many are in Danger of This

October 30, 2009 by Matt Perman

Apparently, too much sleep can make you tired.

Filed Under: g Renewal

Doubling Your Time

August 20, 2009 by Matt Perman

A few years ago I heard someone say: “Every hour of sleep before midnight is worth two, and every hour of work before noon is worth two.”

That’s a pretty good principle in general. It would need to be nuanced, of course, when it comes to those who are naturally most productive late at night. But as a general statement, it points to the high productive value of making the most of the morning.

Although maybe you could have the best of both worlds. If you went to bed at 9 pm, you’d have six hours of sleep by midnight and could then get up, ready to attack the day…

Filed Under: g Renewal

How Much Sleep Do You Get Each Night?

July 29, 2009 by Matt Perman

Great discussion on exercise habits in the previous post.

It sounds like most people exercise in the morning and that a lot of people are early risers. Which leads to another question that would be great to hear people’s thoughts on: How much sleep do you tend to get each night? In your opinion, what is the best time to get up in the morning and the best time to go to bed at night?

Filed Under: g Renewal

What Time of Day Do You Exercise (if you do)?

July 28, 2009 by Matt Perman

I’d be interested in hearing from you on when you exercise. What time of day works best for you?

For years I would jog and lift weights right when getting home from work. For the last year or so I’ve been getting up early to exercise.

Both have their drawbacks — when I exercise in the morning, it feels like it delays the start of my day; when I exercise after work, it feels like it delays the start of my evening with my family.

What works best for you?

Filed Under: Daily Planning, g Renewal

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What’s Best Next exists to help you achieve greater impact with your time and energy — and in a gospel-centered way.

We help you do work that changes the world. We believe this is possible when you reflect the gospel in your work. So here you’ll find resources and training to help you lead, create, and get things done. To do work that matters, and do it better — for the glory of God and flourishing of society.

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About Matt Perman

Matt Perman started What’s Best Next in 2008 as a blog on God-centered productivity. It has now become an organization dedicated to helping you do work that matters.

Matt is the author of What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done and a frequent speaker on leadership and productivity from a gospel-driven perspective. He has led the website teams at Desiring God and Made to Flourish, and is now director of career development at The King’s College NYC. He lives in Manhattan.

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