Establishing new rhythms for my work, life and faith in 2024 have taken longer than they used to! All of January I was discerning what to keep, what to let go and where to lean in so I was read to really get going in February. However, my best effort doesn’t always translate to productivity. Take this podcast episode. I was ready to talk about Lent last week but technology didn’t function for me. My tech guy isn’t always available to I kept my sanity and said to myself I’ll post it next week. And here we are.
Turns out in this season of my life I am more easily distracted than I used to be. The biggest culprit is EMAIL. I already shared about how an email derailed my peace in Episode 142 Which Way Now? What I want to share is the rhythm I’m practicing again– batching tasks. I talked at length about the practice of batching tasks back in Episode 13 How Habits Can Effect Your Brain Space. If you want to know more about batching click over there.
What I will say is the practice of batching email frees your work flow from the distraction it brings. Here’s how I practice batching email: I give the first 20 minutes of my work day to email. I set a timer so I don’t get lost in reading or answering or deleting or unsubscribing. I do this daily as well but only the first 20 minutes of the day and the last 20 minutes.
What I really want to focus on today though is not task batching as a work flow rhythm. I want to talk about the season of Lent.
The title of my podcast dawned for me during the season of Lent in 2020. Remember what life was like during Lent in 2020? Shut down at least where I was living at the time. That lenten season I spent a lot of inner work realizing I held a lot of expectations for myself and others that were not going to be realized that year or maybe ever. It was then I connect the dots of the practice of letting go during Lent with the invitation of Jesus to lean in to him when I am weary and worn out. I love Lent because of this invitation.
I have a few reflective questions for you:
- What are you invited to let go of?
- Where in your work, your life and your faith do you recognize a persistant nudge toward change?
- Where do you feel drawn to lean in toward Jesus in a manner that gives to or serves others?
Answering these questions is not quick nor easy. In my listening for the voice, the nudge, the whisper I need quiet. Our culture is anything but quiet. This takes intention. Perhaps it’s five minutes of a silent house before you wake the family for the day. Maybe you get outside to take a walk alone in silence in the middle of your workday. Maybe you get to sit with a cozy blanket and mug of tea. However you approach being quiet is where you will begin to sense the answers you are seeking.
I would love to hear what you discern is for you to let go of and where you can practice leaning in toward Jesus in this season of Bright Sadness as Lent is called in the Eastern Orthodox tradition. As always, please email me at lisa@lisalewiscoaching.com or head to my Substack at Learning Along the Way and join our growing community learning to lead and love well as we journey along the Way.
