Managing stress and overwhelm in the busy seasons can be challenging, but it is possible. We’ll discuss some ways to manage stress in the midst of your responsibilities, so you can work with excellence while keeping your sanity.

Building Guardrails

When we sign up for too many obligations, we risk spreading ourselves too thin, unable to really focus on doing our best for each of our roles. If you find yourself being stretched to thin, evaluate what needs to be adjusted.

Think and plan ahead; signing up for something requires more time than you think. Don’t forget that you also need time to rest and recharge. Don’t skimp on the time you’ve dedicated to each task. Planning things back-to-back will quickly lead to burnout even if you are spending time on things you enjoy.

Working with Excellence

The reality is you will not have the time for everything you’d like to do and want to achieve. Make sure your decisions align with your priorities, and reallocate your limited time and energy to properly reflect them.

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31) This includes the different roles we may play, whether as a student, employee, friend, or parent. God is glorified when we work with excellence. He created us to reflect his excellency in our work, each with unique talents that shine in different roles.

Finding a balance between all your responsibilities can be tricky. All you can do is put in your best effort. Don’t feel guilty for saying ‘no’ to people; saying ‘no’ to one thing means saying ‘yes’ to another. 

Don’t be all talk and no action! “Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.” (James 2:26) 

Finding Joy in Each Role

We should not work to please others, but to find joy in our work knowing that God sees all that we do. (Colossians 3:23) It certainly doesn’t hurt to feel appreciated and receive thanks from people, but those shouldn’t be our source of joy or reason for working hard.

Work in such a way that you can take pride in your work. Some roles in society are valued above others, but pay no attention to comparisons. Your desire to make an impact on the world is good. 

For those who feel that being a stay-at-home mom is menial, recognize that you have the responsibility and opportunity to raise the next generation. I’d like to add a friendly reminder not to place your identity in the achievements of your kids.

For those who feel that your job is insignificant or replaceable, remember that God rewards and uses those who are faithful in the little things just as Jesus performed the miracle of turning water into wine through the faithful and hard work of carrying and filling up heavy stone jars with water. (John 2:1-11)

Separate Responsibilities From Wants

You know the focuses that are obligations in your life, such as spending time with your family or cleaning your home – these can also be things you look forward to at times, but require dedicated time regardless of how you feel.

The things that you want to do will often disguise themselves as needs. It’s wonderful to pursue a job or a hobby that you enjoy, but not at the risk of dropping the ball in your obligations. It is very difficult to say ‘no’ to the things you want. If your schedule is already full of responsibilities, evaluate what activities can be used as breaks.

Speed Up Your Work

Start by identifying what tasks in your life can be improved. Find and test more efficient ways to get your work done – not to take shortcuts, but to use a better method. If you find yourself doing repetitive work, look for a way to automate the task.

There are many tools available to make your work easier such as Read Aloud for converting text to speech, Google Workspace apps for streamlining work, and Calendy for scheduling meetings. With the growing list of free tools and resources online, it depends on the work you put into your search. If you’re looking for specific advice, ask your community, comment below, or email me with your question.

Manage Your Stress

Your situation may be difficult to change, such as looking for a less-demanding job so you can be more present with your family. We’ll talk next about how to manage your stress while waiting for an opportunity to change your life situation.

Regardless of how well-balanced your life is, there will be times of stress such as coworker issues, roommate issues, or unexpected repair costs. 

Focus on the positives: consider all the good blessings in your life, and the opportunities that rise from your challenges. It’s more important to build endurance and learn contentment as good things in life come and go.

Encouraging Thoughts

By striving for excellence in each of your roles, you influence others who witness your attitude about relationships, work, and habits. (Daniel 6:3) This will result in others having confidence in your character and conduct. If anyone tries to slander you, they won’t have anything bad to say. (Titus 2:7-8)

Stick with this course, and you will make a lasting impact when you do your best in each of your roles in life.