Why do ministry and work so easily crowd out other priorities in our lives? Why are we so busy we miss out on family life? This exercise will probe three common reasons for busyness.

1. Has your free spirit flown too far?

Many creative people prefer wide-open schedules, working out of the office, and the freedom to follow their creative inspirations. While the creative spirit is a blessing, it can also make a person hopelessly busy if it isn't checked by wisdom and priority. Even a creative spirit needs to manage his or her time to keep the important things in life from being crowded out. If the following statements sound like you, it's an indication that undisciplined scheduling is contributing to your busyness.

_____ "I resist structure for structure's sake." _____ "Half of what I end up doing on a given day I hadn't planned to do when I got up." _____ "When brainstorms come, I usually drop what I've planned, get blown away, and don't return." _____ "I lose my weekends because all of my ...