[This post is part of the Leading From the Front Series.]
I work hard and I’m pretty sure you do too. As leaders we are easily caught up with the vision of our organization and the amount of work we know that needs to get done in order to see our vision come to fruition. We pour 50 or 60 hours into our work each week and leave little time to play. It’s daunting work to create.
Many people don’t understand this whole concept because they are part of the pack… they want someone else to lead, to take charge, to get the big stuff done. Little do they know, every believer is called to be a leader, therefore everybody should be working hard.
But this isn’t a post about them… this is a post for us.
Work hard, play hard.
Over the last few years I’ve adopted this motto for my life. I give away everything I have through my work. I am virtually empty by the time my weekend roles around and I’m ready to be rejuvenated… by playing hard.
We all have different ideas for being rejuvenated:
- Devouring a book
- Zoning out at the movies
- Building something in the backyard
- Reorganizing your living room
Any way you rejuvenate… you should be doing it hard. Refilling the tank so that when the work week roles around again, you can give more of yourself away.
These are a few ways I play hard after working hard:
Drive Somewhere.
Get in the car and go. Sometimes this is just down the street to the park or out into the mountains for some fishing. The point is to remove myself from where I spend time during my weekly routine. I’ll even just go and walk around Wal Mart (I know, how adventurous) so that I’m not sitting around the house. My wife has been telling me to go fishing and that is on the agenda for Friday! 
NO Phone (insert email, texting, computer, etc.)
People will often interrupt your playing hard. I love people, but if I don’t love myself… I won’t be able to love people. I try not to use my email, call people about work, text regarding work or even use my computer for work when I’m on my “play hard” time.
In church leadership it can be difficult to do this, but learn to differentiate between the important from the urgent. Important things will need to be dealt with, but not all urgent things are important. Learn to discern and put away or get away from working hard so that you can play hard.
Do something uncharacteristic.
I’m not talking about picking up and going to a strip club. Just because something is uncharacteristic doesn’t make it sin.
Last summer I picked up hiking. This is uncharacteristic of me because I really don’t like walking, but climbing up above 9000′ feet and looking down on Lake Tahoe was refreshing. 14 miles and I was dog tired, but I rejuvenated my soul at the same time.
You should try some new things to stretch your growth and play hard in the process.
While I love my work (I wouldn’t trade it for anything) I love my life as well. I never want to be in that place where my work owns me and causes my life to suffer. I’ll sacrifice somethings, but I refuse to lose my family, my health or my faith because I was prideful about taking time off.
Jesus said he came to give us life and life to it’s fullest. You can experience what he’s talking about by working hard, playing hard!
How do you play hard after a week of working hard?
[Check out other posts from the Leading From the Front Series.]
