Anything Above Zero Compounds
If it helps, you’re not alone.
I have had quite a few conversations with leaders and team members over the past few weeks. Themes of stress, exhaustion and weariness have been pretty consistent. We’ve got a few major projects going on within the business, there is alot of “life” happening, and outside of all of this, there has been chaos in our country and world. It’s been alot to navigate.
Maybe you can relate.
When we find ourselves in seasons like this, it’s really important to take a step back and make sure we are taking good care of ourselves. I flew to Nashville last week and on the plane, they walked through all the normal safety protocols. They came to the oxygen masks and said, “Please put your oxygen mask on first before trying to help someone else. You can’t help others if you go down first.”
ANYTHING ABOVE ZERO COMPOUNDS
I was having lunch with a friend the other day and the topic of rest and recharing the batteries came up. He shared something with me that I’ve been thinking about ever since. We were talking about all the things that are helpful and all of our excuses to why it’s so challenging to find time/energy to do them. He said, “Anything above ZERO compounds.”
We lie to ourselves when we believe that if we aren’t having an hour-long devotional time every morning, working out another hour, and reading three books a week, (add your own list here…) - we’re failing.
That’s just simply not true. Or realistic.
Anything above zero compounds means the only way to NOT grow or get healthier is to do NOTHING. If you can only spend 15 minutes in the morning in prayer or journaling, anything above zero compounds. If you can only take a 10 minute walk before work or during lunch, anything above zero compounds.
Do one positive thing for as long as you can. Over time, the investment you make in your physical, spiritual, emotional and mental health can show an incredible return. The law of compounding brings to mind a picture of a small snowball at the top of the hill. You’ve got to start somewhere and “too small” isn’t a thing. Anything above zero compounds!
I’m going to share a few ideas that might be helpful for you. If something captures you or inspires you, write it down!
RECHARGE
Have you ever thought you had your phone plugged in overnight, only to wake up and realize that it wasn’t connected. The phone makes it until 9:30am and then it’s useless. I have woken up a few mornings recently feeling like I was starting the day with 10% of my battery charged. I’m pretty ineffective on those days.
Sound familiar?
Many of you have been running in 4th and 5th gear consistently for some time now. Our bodies can actually do that for a season. We have an incredible Creator who designed our bodies to do some pretty incredible things! AND, we need to find the time, somehow, to rest and recharge the batteries. Those same bodies that are capable of much, are also built for operate best with periods of rest and recharge.
“Crashing is not resting; it is actually just crashing. Crashes cause pain, create drama, and cost money.”
So what happens when we don’t intentionally schedule time to downshift in order to rest and recharge? Well, we often crash, burnout, or sometimes end up in the ditch. We attempt to “cope” in some pretty unhealthy ways, sometimes turning to alcohol, substances, food, etc. to try to ease the stress or build up. Ironically, these coping mechanisms often “work” for us for awhile. They ease our pain or stress temporarily to help us survive.
The only problem is, if we keep on using them to cope, eventually they will kill us.
We have to find healthy ways to recharge and to deal with the real stress and weariness we are experiencing. It’s also important to understand that we’re not all wired the same way.
RECHARGING: Differences Between Introverts and Extroverts
Rest and recharging doesn’t happen in the same way for everyone. Steve Cochram writes, “Introverts recharge internally, like a battery pack. They need to plug into an energy source directly and recharge on their own from within. Extroverts, on the other hand, are like solar panels: their recharge happens from external power sources, like ideas or people or experiences.”
Cochran gives some practical advice and ideas to recharge the batteries:
BATTERY PACK-TYPE RECHARGE SOURCES FOR INTROVERTS:
Meditation - This normally becomes a place for peace.
Devotions - Introverts are normally more disciplined with their personal time.
Sleeping - Research shows that introverts usually need a bit more sleep than extroverts.
Reading - Especially novels or biographies.
Exercise - Long runs or walks alone.
Time to yourself - Pursue hobbies, like art, gardening, cooking, woodworking, and so on.
“Like thumbprints, we are all unique in our personality hard wiring, and that means that we all recharge differently. The problem is that most of the articles on rest or recharging are generic, and when people try to apply the one-size-fits-all idea, there’s no improvement.”
SOLAR POWERED-TYPE RECHARGES FOR EXTROVERTS:
Time with a mentor - Extroverts need to talk out loud to hear their ideas with someone they trust.
Ideas - Some extroverts are enamored with ideas, which can bring life to them.
Sleep - Extroverts need sleep as well, usually less than introverts.
Speaking - Some extroverts thrive when they speak or share.
Reading - Books that bring inspiration and are highly applicable.
Exercise - Extroverts tend to like class-type exercise with a group of people rather than the isolated experiences of running by themselves.
REST
It’s interesting to me that we take something as concrete as the need for rest, and make it negotiable (or at least I speak for myself!). When you look at Scripture, rest is foundational. God Himself rests on the 7th day of creation, and encourages us to do likewise. Jesus was constantly peeling off by Himself to spend time in solitude.
Jesus addressed His disciples and those that were following Him to come to Him for rest:
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." — Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT).
Jesus is speaking to the very core of our hearts here. We long for rest. We know that the way we are living life is not sustainable. But in order to find true rest, we are called to come to Jesus. To lay down the burdens, workload, stress, fears, anxieties, etc. - and find rest in Him. To abide in Him. In His faithfulness. In His sovereignty. In His grace.
Here are a few other Scriptures that speak to this that might be an encouragement to you today:
Isaiah 40:30-31 (NIV) | “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
Psalm 4:8 (NLT) | “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.”
Jeremiah 31:25 (NASB) | “I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”
OPEN HANDS
I want to encourage you to pray about this season you are in right now. Something as simple as this prayer:
“God, help me as I pursue the life you’ve called me to live. Life has been alot lately. Would You help me rest and be able to recharge? Help me to rely on You today. I ask that You would abundantly multiply my rest, help me to recharge, that my life and my work would bring glory to You.”
Take time to rest this week. Sit on the front porch and watch the sunrise and sunset. Take one of the Scriptures mentioned earlier and just meditate on that one thought for a few minutes. Go for a walk alone or with someone. Be still for a minute and just take a breath. Turn off Netflix or Facebook at 9pm and get some sleep.
You’ve got important work to do this week. Your relationships are meaningful and your people need the healthiest version of you possible. My hope for you is that as your weariness turns to rest and recharge, we will give God the glory as we seek to be good stewards of the health, strength and clarity that He desires to give us as we rest and trust in Him.
“God doesn’t need my help. He wants my heart.”