Day 22
You’ve probably read a few things about how introverts and extroverts are handling this quarantine. Maybe you’ve even seen some funny videos about your Enneagram type in quarantine. But today I want to talk about a different personality type: the TYPE A people.
Because yes, I’m a type A person. I like to feel as though I’ve accomplished several specific, concrete tasks each day, and I really love crossing them off a list.
In fact, the first thing I do each month is set my month in my bullet journal (“bujo” for the newbies). I break my monthly goals down in four areas: financial, health, professional development, and ministry. And for the month of March, I had over 20 goals total in those four categories. And guess how many I actually accomplished? About 6. The quarantine affected my health/fitness goals. The gym closed. I’m not allowed outside. I wanted to do street evangelism ten times, but… nope. I wanted to lead workshops at church but… no joy. I did manage to save money! Because I couldn’t go anywhere to spend any!
I also make monthly trackers/progress charts, and I need to see my progress in visual, measurable ways. But how can a type A person, who loves to live by a planner, organize days in “lockdown” where nothing is happening yet anything might occur unexpectedly?
I think quarantine might be a little easier on the type B people who are more used to going with the flow, and even delight in not having everything planned out just so.
But if you’re like me (or you live with someone who is), here’s what helps:
Plan SPECIFIC: Find something to do every day that IS concrete and measurable, even if it’s a small thing (Take a shower) I joined a workout challenge that has 31 daily challenges that I can do right in my own home. So I know exactly what exercise to do on today’s date. I write in my schedule whatever I decided to cook/clean/organize. I can always move it to another day if the day doesn’t turn out like I hoped, but this way, I have an actual plan to aim for.
Be PRODUCTIVE: There are definitely still things I CAN do from home. I can call one friend every day to encourage them. I can write more updates, make more videos, and go through paperwork that needs to be done. I can finish some leadership books I don’t usually have time for, and I can definitely worship more. You can still be productive; you just have to determine what’s worth your time/energy.
Give GRACE: Give yourself a break that you can’t train for that marathon this spring. Give yourself grace that you got stuck on zoom calls that took way too long, and then you didn’t get all those other things done. Give your spouse grace, your kids grace, your boss grace, and basically just pray for grace to cover this entire quarantine—we’re gonna need it! I just read this verse the other day “Bring me to your grace fountain, so that your strength becomes mine. Be my hero and come rescue your servant once again!” (Psalm 86:16 Passion Translation) And man, did it hit home. I have very little grace naturally, but HE is a grace fountain. SO thankful for GOD’S grace to me that flows to others (and to myself for not being perfect). And the most wonderful part about this point is that it applies to EVERY day, not just days in quarantine.