Fellowship Bible Ladies, welcome to our Fellowship of Former Procrastinators! What a fun time being with you at your retreat! It’s terrific to have Texans among us!
At our house, with the ankle back in swing, we’re jumping into our office project again. We’re facing that, like most folks, we have only so much space. Good thing!
That means we set boundaries. We simply cannot keep all the books and papers we have. We must make choices. Physical boundaries help us do that. This much, no more.
I’ll return to this topic as we progress, but here are some general areas in which procrastinators tend to allow “over run” and consequently become overwhelmed. Instead, we can set boundaries that hold “over much” at bay and allow us to focus and function well.
Space – Consider not “We need a bigger house!” but “We need less stuff!” The space provided by closets, shelves, drawers, cabinets is the space we have to work with. We can limit clothes, books, etc. to what fits in neatly without cramming or stacking elsewhere. Renting multiple storage units is not the answer!
Activities – We can limit the number or type of outside activities we and our children take on. Within an activity we might say, “I can only make half those phone calls.”
People – Sometimes someone demands or genuinely needs a lot of our time and energy. This can be appropriate or perhaps we need to recognize others are getting short shrift and lack mommy or wife time. It’s a challenge to deal with, but it might be better even for the “needy” person to have boundaries. We can give little ones time on the piano, then teach them, “Sally is next. You do not play when she plays.” We can set a boundary that Mom goes to the bathroom alone. (Yep, truly!) No whining outside the door. (Suitable rewards for good behavior?) We can tell a friend, “I can chat once a week on the phone” or “I have to limit this call to 10 minutes” and set a timer. Appropriate boundaries help teach respect.
Time – If we don’t set boundaries for time, priorities will suffer. Routine based on priorities insures the most important things are done. Routines – like bowling bumpers – are boundaries that direct the ball into the lane it should travel to hit the priority pins.
Self – Bedtime. End your day and sleep. (Have an end for the school day. Students and teachers need that relief!) Cut down the decorating, cookies, gifts, or cards you’ll do this holiday season. Give your expectations boundaries. Save time for spontaneous fun.
Have you put off setting some boundaries? Do it! Setting healthy boundaries means we get to:
Enjoy what we have or do – with time for anticipation and reflection.
Do well those things we take on.
Be available for family, friends, and fun – not distracted by the demands of too much.
Where do you see a need for setting boundaries in your life?
Leave a Reply