When we are doing nothing, we often feel tired. But we may not be tired. We may just be bored. Boredom and tiredness can feel the same.
This was an insight that I learned from Brett McKay and The Art of Manliness podcast. He has a lot of helpful insights, and I highly recommend his work to you. He said, you are not burned out, you are bored, but the principle is the same. McKay asks how is it that we are struggling with burnout
[a]nd yet, statistically, we’re doing less than ever, not more[?] We work a little less than we did fifty years ago, and a lot less than a century and a half back. We socialize less. We participate less in clubs, church, and civic organizations.
How can it be that the less we do, the more burnt out we get? How can it be that people who are involved in far less than their grandparents were, nonetheless feel more tired?
He answered, “We’re not over-burdened, we’re under-challenged. Our potential isn’t being incinerated, it’s going untapped.”
When we feel that internal resistance saying, “I’m tired. I need to rest,” we often need to just get going. That feeling will disappear. I have found this over and over again.
But, wait, don’t we actually get tired sometimes? Yes. However, I think that it is better to rely on an objective analysis than on the feelings of tiredness in the moment. If I have slept 7-8 hours through the night, taken a day off, and taken a nap, then I am probably not really tired. I have rested sufficiently. An objective analysis tells me that I can do more.
Think of it like hunger. Just because you feel hungry doesn’t mean that you need to eat. You may be undernourished, but that’s not the problem for most of us. If we are eating 2,000 calories a day or whatever we require in a balanced diet, we are good. We don’t need to eat. Most of us can also go without eating for a time, and we can be fine. Feelings of hunger will dissipate if ignored. So will feelings of tiredness.
Some nights I drive Uber until 3 or 4 in the morning. There was a time when I would have said, “There’s no way I can do that.” What I have learned is that I can. The feelings of tiredness dissipate, even when I could be sleeping. I can stay up longer than I thought. Coffee helps, too, but that’s the same thing I drink whenever I’m awake. So, it’s not really that different.
When I was studying to be a Pastor, I did prison ministry at the Cook County Jail. It was a very rewarding experience. A gentleman named Bob went with me every week, and we developed a good friendship. Bob told me how he had gotten started in this ministry. When the church asked for volunteers, he thought, “I can’t do that. I need to spend time with my family.” Then, he thought about it more and said to himself, “What am I really doing with my time? I am just sitting there watching T.V.” He concluded that his family would not miss much, if he did the ministry. Indeed, they gained, because he became a better person by undertaking this ministry. And he still spent plenty of time with his family.
So, beware of internal resistance. It can lead you down the wrong path. It can make you resist many things that you would actually do and enjoy. It can keep you from becoming the person God made you to be. The next time you feel like you can do something good because you are tired, just do it. You’re probably just bored.
Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I appreciate you taking the time, and I hope it was a blessing for you. Pastoring two churches over 19 years, dealing with my own crud, raising 7 kids, and trying to be a part of the community have been a battle. I’ve tried to capture what I’ve learned about keeping sane and productive in an insane world in 40 principles. You can read more of them here. If you like them, please consider subscribing or sharing this post.
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