When Productivity is Decreasing

Productivity can be a challenge this time of year with entering the last month of school, Spring sports, end of year banquets, your room being messy, etc. In moments like these, I can get very anxious and just want stay in bed. So I've noted a few things that work and figured I'd pass them on to you...

1. Pray. It needs to be something we do throughout our day. It's important because if we don't pause to get on the same page as our Creator, anxiety is going to show up and set up camp.

2. Write a check list. If you write down 5 things to accomplish the following day (and stick to it), you have purpose and drive for tomorrow.

3. Work hard, play hard. Don't mix the two. Playing is a chance to relax and get all the energy out of your system. School is a time to focus and absorb everything the teachers are trying to pass to you. That way, when you're doing your homework, you will understand it more if you were able to focus in class.

4. Get 'er done. Don't put off the homework until the night before or morning it's due. Do the homework as soon as you're able to so that the subject is decently fresh in your mind. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to recall the information. Something that takes you 30 minutes to do the night before may take you only 10-20 minutes if done right away.

5. Leave the house. Fresh air is great medicine.

6. Unplug. Set either a couple hours a day or perhaps one day a week where you only use your phone for an emergency such as you need a ride home; not Jack and Diane broke up. They will soon realize that life goes on ;)

7. Pray. Some people say they don't have time to pray. The reality is that we don't have time not to pray. Prayer is a time to realize what is important. It weeds out the wasted time and allows us to be more productive. You could pray a rosary and clean part of your room once a week (or day).

Why I Don't Want To Be Like Jesus

    Dear God, I often pray that I want to be more like Christ, but today I realize that's not true. I don't want to be like you. Over the weekend I felt used by a friend. Today he didn't show any type of remorse and continued to pass the blame and responsibilities to others (including myself).

    As I sit here in adoration, this weekend's events consume me, and to focus I said "I want to be more like you Christ." Right after I said that I realized that I don't want to be like you. You are used more than you are loved. We (mankind) try to justify our sins rather than accepting responsibility and asking for forgiveness. When we sin we hide from you rather than running back to you to restore our relationship.

    I now know that I don't want to be like you. I don't want to get used like you. I don't want to get punished for sins I didn't commit. I don't want to pray for the people who cause me so much pain. I don't want to be used or walked on like people do to you...like I do to you.

    God, I am so sorry that I use you and take you for granted. I now see what amazing love you have for me even though I use you...especially when I use you.

    By now we both know I don't want to be like you...but I need to be. Lord, give me the grace to be like you. I pray that I am able to love when I feel abused, that when I am punished for sins I didn't commit, that I accept it with humility through your grace. Let me see your grace rushing through me as a motivation to be more like you.

Is Christ Your Cellphone App?

    I have a lot of great apps on my phone that I'm always using. Messenger, Sports Alerts, ESPN, Music, Mail, Maps, and FitBit are my heavily used apps. But I also  have some that go unused such as Tips, Wordpress, Stocks, Compass, and more. It got me thinking...if Christ was an app, how much would I click on him? How long would I stay in the app?
    Sometimes it seems that if Christ was an app, I would use him throughout the day. I'd open him before every meal, before bed, and when I felt scared. But someone told me that Christ wants more. So I'd pray more, and try to have the Christ app run in the background. It seemed like I had a low battery in my life with always dragging Jesus around. I prayed and asked God "how can I live like this? I don't want to be dragging you around like this?" Christ's response was "Don't, let me run your life."
    Christ can't just be an app on your phone; you need him to be the operating system. It is the only way to have Christ at the center of your life. You may be thinking "But if I have God as the center of my life, I'll have to change." If following God doesn't force you to change your life, then you're making yourself God. Without your operating system, you couldn't function. Without Christ, we don't function very well. A lot of people think that more success and money will mean more happiness, but it doesn't. Letting Christ take control of your life brings us the ultimate form of happiness. How much control have you given Christ in your life? How can you give it all to him?