Unproductive Work Habits: Part IV

In this series, we’ve been discussing how meetings and email are consuming the average worker’s time, making us less productive. Recently, I’ve noticed another trend that concerns me – the growing number of messaging tools.

When I first started my consulting business, if someone wanted to reach me, their choice was to call me or drop by. In the last few years, however, the number of ways people can reach me has become overwhelming.

I now must monitor email, text messages, Teams messages, Asana messages, and occasionally phone calls. It makes it hard to give thought to the most important work. Psalm 119:15 says, “I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.” Meditating, in general, is almost impossible when subjugated to a stream of communication, let alone mediation on the most holy.

A constant bombardment, even if well-intentioned, with emails and messages will unfocus you from not only work but also from the Lord. Our world is oversaturated with communication but barren of connection. A healthy regulation of communication will aid not only in your work life but also in your spiritual walk.

I’m striving to more frequently turn off all distractions and meditate on God and His plan.

Questions For Reflection

• When was the last morning you had a devotion? Are they a part of your routine? If not, do you have evening devotions or any other time specifically dedicated to the Lord?
• What practices could you set in place to create healthy boundaries between work and your personal life? Are you allowing your job to creep into your personal life?
• Have you considered establishing a set time for meditating on God's Word and His ways on an extended basis, i.e., monthly or quarterly, maybe even weekly?

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