Shuffling papers, walking from the desk to the kitchen table to the counter, and muttering to myself, I was a whirlwind of activity.

More like I was circling the drain.

Michael said, “Babe, do one thing at a time.”

Didn’t he just diagnose that situation?

Have you ever been there, spinning your wheels and going nowhere fast?

Trying to do eight things at once and finishing not a one?

We do it all the time. I’m on a Zoom call, checking my email, sending a slack, saving an article I want to read later, jotting a thought in my notebook—all at once.

And it slowly erodes my productivity. 

I become exhausted and discouraged.

Because really, my attempt at doing all the things slowly splinters my heart and erodes my soul. 

I feel like God has a way of bringing me the same message over and over, so I really see it. Really focus on it (have we talked about my starburst mind? I get a bit distracted).

So Do One Thing at Time has been the message popping up like mushrooms.

Michael said it in the kitchen.

John Eldridge said it in HopeWriter training.

My coach said it in a session.

Jim Branch wrote it in my devotional.

For goodness sake, even Marie Forleo said on a free webinar! 

Because really, my attempt at doing all the things slowly splinters my heart and erodes my soul. 

In my mind, I could make this work! I puzzle this out so I don’t have to choose to do just one thing!

And, the fruit of that was still exhaustion and nothing to show for it.

Suzanne Stabile’s voice is what rings in my head when I get this way: The cure for exhaustion isn’t rest. It’s wholeheartedness.

Does that just fill you with a breath of air?

I’m tired because all the pieces of my heart are working separately.

I need wholeheartedness. I need wholeness.

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So on this day, can I be your coach for just a moment? Can I invite you to commit to doing one thing at time today? To be fully present in one thing? Even just for an afternoon?

What could happen if you did?

Pin this post. You’ll want to remember Suzanne’s words.

The cure for exhaustion isn’t rest. It’s wholeheartedness.

Bonus if you tweet to your stories and tag me with: I’m committing to this today.