March Madness isn’t just a basketball tournament. For pastors, it’s an annual reality of getting ready for and playing at our best during “The Big Dance” known as the Easter Season. Let’s face it, the pressure to perform is on. If we aren’t careful, it can get the best of even the most seasoned veterans.
How do you avoid this as a leader?
Here’s Tip #1 – Get more sleep.
For too long it has been a disturbing badge of honor to live and lead by “burning the candle at both ends.” While there are days and even short seasons of life when we have to get up earlier and stay up later to get it done, this shouldn’t be the indefinite lifestyle of a healthy leader.
The truth is, if someone is always exhausted, then at some point there are simply some poor life and leadership management choices being made. We’ve all been there when we haven’t gotten enough zzzz’s. We get “cranky,” our creativity decreases along with our attention span. Poor eating and drinking choices increase as we try to get more energy in all the wrong ways when what we may just need is some more “shut-eye.”
Not convinced? Check out this link to a great article on the correlation between rest and productivity by Michael Hyatt – Why People Who Sleep Longer Achieve More
It’s simple. If we want to be at our best for the Lord, our families, lead teams and the people we serve, then we must choose to be well-rested. We might even take an elusive “power-nap” every now and then.
New York Times best-selling author and all around life and leadership guru Jon Acuff challenges us, “In a world that praises busyness, rest is an act of bravery.”
Refuse to live and lead exhausted. Don’t give into the March Madness of ministry during any season.
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