Follow This Ancient Rule For a Highly Productive Week

I used to spend Sunday after Mass doing pressing items for work and chores around the house. Despite this extra time I invested, I never felt “caught up” and it made me even more overwhelmed about the coming week.

It wasn’t uncommon for me to feel physically ill on Sunday nights, and I dreaded Monday mornings because I knew I would be exhausted when the alarm sounded at 5:45 am.

The pressure associated with being “productive” 7 days a week was too much for me to handle.

One day I was preparing for confession by reviewing the Ten Commandments and it occurred to me I was failing miserably at keeping the Sabbath holy. By running my errands and doing my work, I made the Lord’s day all about me.

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 
Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; 
but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; 
in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, 
or your daughter, your manservant, 
or your maidservant or your cattle, 
or the sojourner who is within your gates; 
for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, 
the sea, and all that is in them, 
and rested the seventh day; 
therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it.

Exodus 20:8-11

Now, after worshiping at Mass I spend Sundays relaxing with my husband, reading and serving others whenever possible.

To say I look forward to Sunday would be an understatement. Knowing I am going to be work free not only helps me focus on what is important, it makes me more productive the other 6 days of the week. There will always be another dish to wash, room to clean and email to answer, but God commands us to rest as He did on the 7th day.

Experience has taught me this commandment (like all the others) is not meant to be restrictive, but liberating. Do you keep Sunday focused on worship and rest?