At this time every year I am reminded that my a family and I personally need a break. I know you know what I am talking about. We are in the last few weeks of the school year and all of us have seniority’s. The definition of Senioritis in the Urban Dictionary: "Senioritis. Noun. A crippling disease that strikes high school seniors. Symptoms include: laziness, an over-excessive wearing of track pants, old athletic shirts, sweatpants, athletic shorts, and sweatshirts. Also features a lack of studying, repeated absences, and a generally dismissive attitude. The only known cure is a phenomenon known as Graduation."
We are definitely experiencing a decline in motivation and performance in our house! Everyone is tired and cranky. I am worn out from long hours at work. We are all striving for some time off. We simply need a break. We need a different routine. We need to be replenished. Can you relate?
God did an incredible job when he created our bodies. He gave us multiple signals to let us know when something isn’t correct. We have labeled those signals as ‘symptoms.’
What am I taking about? It’s the theme phrases you see over and over in your journal, “I’m tired, I feel fatigued, I’m run down, I don’t have much energy, I need a break.” These are all symptom phrases, revealing a deeper issue. The deeper truth is that we need to be replenished. It’s a craving we all have.
Basically, something is going on under the surface. Our symptoms are serving as a indicator or manifestation of something deeper. You can’t see it, but you definitely can feel it. It’s time for corrective measures. It’s time to be refreshed.
What is your replenishment cycle? What steps or disciplines do you take yourself through in order to be rested and ready to go? It took me a while to come up with a process for getting rested up. I am a work in progress and have been using this cycle for several years now. I hope it is helpful to you, your family, and your colleagues.
My Replenishment Cycle
- Rest. Schedule time for rest and be still. This is time that I have intentionally placed on my calendar and it's protected. It’s more than once. In this stage, I am making no decisions. I sleep and eat, read, if I want to, and reflect on the past few months. The goal is to get to boredom.
- Assessment. Take an inventory of my life rhythms. How is my health? How is my relationship with my wife and my children? How am I doing in my Spiritual walk? What is the status of my friendships? What do I like? What is going well? Where am I off track? The goal is to define my reality.
- Recalibrate. What changes do I want to make in light of my reality? What new goals do I want to set? What values do I want to protect? How do I want to use my time moving forward? The goal is to identify how I will repurpose my resources.
- Strategy. List out the direction in order to move forward. Set the goals for change. Pick the time, resources, and plans needed for my desired change. List out what it will take to accomplish the new calibration. The goal is to list a detailed plan for change.
- Execute. Put the new changes into practice. Set appointments on the calendar. Reallocate resources. The goal is to provide accountability to my plan.
- Review. How is it going? Any corrections or changes needed? Am I reaching my goals? Am I seeing progress? The goal is to experience fulfillment and progress.
Regardless of your preferences and your personality, make replenishment a priority for your leadership health. Set aside some time and make an intentional plan for longevity.
It’s my heart and passion to help leaders live out their calling and thrive. I want to be one of those leaders too. I believe that your best days are before you. We all need a little coaching, encouragement, wisdom, and help. We can’t accomplish our goals in isolation or always on our own. We need each other. It’s time to thrive. Let’s do it together. You are not alone. Click here to set up a Discovery Coaching call.
Rick