Learn to Pause and Pray Before Adding to Your Schedule

When you learn to pause and pray before making a decision, you are helping to slow your life down to a more manageable level.

Proverbs 20:25 says, “It is a trap to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider one’s vows” (NIV).

What is God saying? Ponder before promising. Deliberate before deciding. Muse before you choose. Reflect before you select. Consider your commitments prayerfully and carefully. Pause and pray before deciding. That will slow your life down.

One thing I’ve learned the hard way is you can’t just keep adding things to your schedule without eliminating other things. Every time you add a new activity to your schedule, you need to take something off.

One of my mentors, Peter Drucker, is considered by many to be the founder of modern management. He used to say to me, “Don’t tell me what new thing you’re doing. Tell me what you’ve stopped doing.”

The mark of leadership is knowing what to stop and what to cut out. If you’re burning the candle at both ends, you’re not as bright as you think you are. You’re going to burn out!

Do you have a hard time cutting out activities from your schedule? When you’re faced with an opportunity, you need to do three things:

1. Ask, “Is it worth it?” Is it worth your time, energy, effort, reputation, or money?

2. Ask, “What am I going to give up?” Consider the cost.

3. Consider saying “no.” It’s the greatest time-saver in life!

Before adding to your already full schedule, pause and prayerfully work through these three steps. Over time, you’ll find your life slowed down to a manageable pace.