sixthgen
pastoral publishing in the 21st century
pastoral publishing in the 21st century
 I'm writing this post for myself. Last fall, I was a guest in a class of future pastors at Concordia Seminary. The topic of self-care came up and I rattled off a list of things I've instituted to stay grounded and healthy. But now it's spring, and I'm straying from my own advice. With the strains and demands of my vocations, I can slip into unhealthy habits. I know my limitations. I need healthy boundaries and habits to maintain balance. So here's my list - and personal reminder - of how to stay grounded. Sleep. I aim for 7 hours. I sometimes struggle to sleep. It's the discipline of not staying up too late.
Exercise. I fluctuate between running, chasing kids, and cross-fit. A counselor. I'm grateful to my benefit provider that I get a number of free counseling sessions every year. I see a Christian counselor for my general well-being. I need all the help I can get, so a set of professional eyes helps me with self-care and awareness. Sabbath. One day a week I completely unplug. Since I work Sundays, Friday is my day. Sabbath means "cease," so I try to be as unproductive as possible. Maybe some outside yard work (which I find relaxing). But no e-mail or social media. Hopefully a nap, cooking something I like to eat, and wrestling with my kids. Daily Devotional Time. For me, it's the first hour of the day - 5:30 or 6:00 AM. I have an ongoing prayer list, a devotional book, and I read through a book of the Bible a couple chapters a day. Saying "No". I'm a people-pleaser, so I over-commit easily. I'm learning the art of politely saying "no." Every time you say "no" to one thing, you say "yes" to another. Vacations: Take them. Family and Friendship: For those of us so driven by our jobs, it's easy to marginalize our families and friends. I schedule all of my work appointments and commitments. Why am I not that intentional with my family? I'm working to get better about:
What would you add?
Jane Ray
4/13/2016 04:39:07 am
I would add family meals/dinner time. We did this with our kids and now have added two grandkids to the mix. There is so much love bonding, and relationship building that happens around the dinner table. We eat dinner together as a family at least 5 nights a week. Hard to accomplish yes, but very worth the effort. I agree with Jane - I think these days family meals have gone by the wayside we too were guilty of this. All the activities the kids have these days many times we would eat in the car on the way to the next activity. Although I was with Amanda during this time Wayne would miss out. Now when she comes home for college we all eat almost every meal together at the table. It really is a wonderful time of togetherness. 😊
Jack
4/13/2016 10:19:57 am
Another needed and personally revealing blog. All of us, including retirees and grandparents, need to review and adjust our routines and time consuming activities in favor of health and relationships. I would add reading out loud to children and grandchildren, even full length books. Also, volunteering at schools, nursing homes, meals-on-wheels etc. to engage ourselves in self-less and meaningful endeavors. Comments are closed.
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