Let’s face it. Even though responsibilities sometimes feel like a killjoy or even a burden they are needed for giving us purpose, instilling character, and developing an attitude of perseverance.
However, if you are a responsible person it’s easy to find yourself in a situation where others are seeking to unload their responsibilities on to you. It is good to be responsible, to take care of what you’ve been entrusted with, but for those who are responsible, it is easy to become distracted – even overwhelmed – by the seemingly endless needs that surround you.
While it is not good to be so hyper-focused on our own agenda and responsibilities that we ignore or neglect the needs of those around us, it is also not good and – ultimately terribly unproductive – to be so consumed with the needs of others that are not able to fulfill our true purpose.
We all have demands and responsibilities that others are counting on us to meet, and yet we all can make time to assist when others are in over their head. So, this begs the question; where’s the balance? Though I am still working on finding that exact balance in my own life, two simple phrases have helped me make great progress in this area:
- I’m sorry, but I can’t.
- I’m not sure I am able to do such and such, but this is what I can do.
For those who love helping people, these phrases can be challenging. But once put into practice they are also very freeing. Learning to use these phrases can help keep us from giving our responsibilities less time and energy than they require. But, they do something else. They help keep us from burn out, which also allows us to perform at our best.
Stewarding our responsibilities well takes continual effort. Understanding our limits, being true to our own call, and being willing to help others without enabling them will help us keep our responsibilities “in phase” while at the same time maximize our ability to truly help others in their time of need.
