A Sustainable Pace

North Point Ministries (Andy Stanley) posted a podcast called the “Rest App”.  You’ll have to listen to the podcast to fully appreciate the context, but here is the question posed that resonated with me:  “Are you moving at a sustainable pace?” Good question – but the answer is tricky, as it becomes alarmingly clear only when viewed from a distance.   Are you running too fast? Are you hitting your work so hard that other parts of your life are suffering?  Perhaps, it’s not the work, but something else that you’re chasing too hard, too fast?  Do you often feel rushed? Are you thinking about too many things when you should be more “present”? Do you believe that the longer and harder you work the better off you are? Here’s a big one: Are you sleeping at least 7 hours a day?  I’ve heard studies that indicate less than 7 hours of sleep a day can cost the average adult 10-12 years of life on the back end.  Yikes!

This is not to debate the validity of working hard, who can live well on less sleep, or “seasonal” times when the increased pace is inevitable.  I simply want to explore what I have often heard, and innately known is true – sometimes we simply need to slow down in order to truly speed up. Knowing this is predicated on knowing the things that matter most in our lives.  In fact, when taking the 10000 foot view, things like our faith, health, family and friends are truly what matter most.   Slowing down simply allows us to enjoy and appreciate what matters most.  Slowing down may even improve our productivity - by sharpening our focus, increasing our energy and re-charging our passion.  As Jeff Henderson, the Podcast speaker says, “You’ll move to a better place, when you move at a sustainable pace”.