Last week, we learned about the importance of fun and family during times of rest. If you remember to two weeks back, we talked about finding true Sabbath. My team wanted to make sure we weren’t talking about legalism when it comes to Sabbath, but we also don’t want to identify a problem without prescribing a solution. Now that we know how important it is to take a Sabbath, how do we make sure we have one? Here are a few of my suggestions:
1. Make it a calendar priority.
That’s right … book the date! Think through it in advance and schedule some things that you’ll look forward to. This is an excellent reminder of what we learned in last week’s post about scheduling fun.
2. Protect yourself and your Sabbath.
Communicate to people that this is an important part of your spiritual life. People might still call you, they may still ask you to help finish up a project or make an exception. Stand firm in your decision to take a Sabbath and people will eventually adjust! If you look at your Sabbath as a flex day, so will others. Find practical ways to set your boundaries with others.
3. Check in before you leave.
One of the reasons it’s so hard for us to take a step back for a day is because we get nervous. How will they get along without me? What if they need me when I’m gone? Find out if there are things that are going to come up before you check out. Do what you need to to prepare accordingly, but don’t let others’ failure to plan create a crisis for you on your Sabbath. Because this is a day that will help make you a better leader upon your return!
[bctt tweet="Do what you need to to prepare accordingly, but don’t let others’ failure to plan create a crisis for you on your Sabbath." username="dukematlock"]4. Write yourself a permission slip.
So you checked in with your team but you still feel guilty? It’s time to give yourself a permission slip, as research professor Brene Brown would say. Give yourself permission to not work for one day. Give yourself permission to enjoy yourself. That in itself is half the battle!
I want to emphasize, again, the importance of true Sabbath. And I’m going to end with this example: A friend (who is also a client of mine) came into town a few weeks ago and asked me to get lunch at Gaylord Palms. We met for hours, catching up and occasionally talking about “business.” At one point he said, “Hey! Are you working on your Sabbath?” And I replied, “No, I’m just meeting up with a friend!” Your Sabbath is up to you. Meeting up with my friend and hearing about his progress is something that brings me joy … it doesn’t feel like work! Focus on choosing the things that bring you life and enjoyment rather than worrying about the nitty gritty “rules” of Sabbath. [bctt tweet="Focus on choosing the things that bring you life and enjoyment rather than worrying about the nitty gritty “rules” of Sabbath." username="dukematlock"] I hope this post helped paint a fuller picture of what it means to find true Sabbath! ]]>