6 June 2023 - Overcommitting

“A negative habit I’ve often seen is overcommitting the organisation, the team or themselves. This can stem from a lack of focus and prioritisation or a desire to please. Saying “yes” too much dilutes the efforts of an organisation and the individual. This may lead to feeling overwhelmed and disengaged, conflict and misalignment, and, ultimately, a lack of progress. Instead, leaders would be well-served to focus on a few vital priorities.” - Angela Morrill

In his blog Jay Clouse writes, there are three consequences of over-commitment:

“1. You drop the ball If you bite off more than you can chew, you may not be able to see it through. And with people depending on you, you may drop the ball and not hold up your end of the bargain. In this case, you risk trust and reputation — hard to build, easy to lose!

1. You don’t follow throughThis is similar to dropping the ball but more intentional. If you realise you’ve taken on more than you can realistically accomplish, you may not back up your commitment with action. You probably know someone who always has a new idea or project they are excited about, but never actually take action on it.Just as above, this puts trust in you and your reputation at risk — would you want to work with the boy who cried wolf?

2. Everything moves forward slowlyThis is the camp I find myself in most often. I won’t claim to do something without following through, and I’m great at keeping all the balls in the air — but everything moves forward much slower because of it.It’s like moving a heavy piece of furniture by yourself — you pick up one end and swing it forward, then circle over to the other side and do the same.”

Overcommitment is the enemy of focus. Great leaders know that saying yes to fewer commitments means they can create a greater impact.

Psalm 127:2 (ESV) It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.

Proverbs 31:27 (NLT) She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness.

The Hebrew word for carefully watches actually means ‘to guard like a watchman’ and everything in her household can also mean ‘the affairs or procession of her household’.

She attentively guards the activities of her life and household. The second part of the verse shows the other extreme, illustrating that although she is careful to guard against the unnecessary, she also does not give in to laziness.

Her effectiveness is clear from this scripture, and it is unattainable for anyone—this is a good example of how an excellent, godly steward manages various tasks effectively.

When we try to do it all, we quickly become ensnared in the overcommitment trap. The colour fades, the beauty vanishes, and our lives become fragile. God’s best for us to effectively manage our time and tasks. We must be constantly alert against tasks that could take our attention away from our God-given priorities.

To give God our best, we must effectively manage our time and tasks. We must be constantly mindful to guard against tasks that may divert our attention from our God-given priorities.