It's so extremely easy to overextend ourselves in this modern world we live in.

As students, employees, parents, family members, you name it, we can each make laundry lists of tasks that demand our attention on a daily basis. From homework assignments to work demands, and each commitment in between, our time is spread in every direction imaginable.

Overtime, as we spread ourselves over different obligations, we begin to feel spread thin. Before we know it, our motivation for each task on our list diminishes and our time becomes so stretched that it becomes humanly impossible to find the time to acquire the motivation we once had. Consequently, we are thrown into a spiral of mechanically roaming through life with no real sense of effort-driven attachment to the tasks we once enjoyed.

We become people-pleasing robots, resenting commitment and loathing the commitments we already made. And, most periling, we become commitment loathing, people-pleasing robots...and we did it all to ourselves.

We all long for a change...we long to escape our hectic schedules and opt for an extended vacation on a beach somewhere or somewhere, anywhere, less stressful than the 24/7/365 we live in.

So what is the escape? Where are our shiny vacations and moments to still our frantically beating hearts?

I found the answer, but it may not be what anyone wants to hear from the beginning. Here it is: Just stop. Stop overextending yourself...stop causing yourself pain that could be easily prevented.

I know, trust me I know, me telling you to "just stop" sounds impossible. There's so many commitments and tasks filling up your schedule already that you can't possibly quit them all. After all, I know and you know that it's not practical for you to call your boss up tomorrow and tell him/her that you're "just stopping work"--that would be utterly crazy!

But, there is one answer, the ultimate answer, that is sure-fire to work every single time:

P R A Y.

A verse I read recently in an article from Proverbs 31 Ministries, stated: "Proverbs 15:28, “The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.” (ESV)".

Therefore, when pondering over the ever-defeating "yes" or "no" that is associated when new commitments come your way, pray first and deliver the answer later. When we turn to God first and to people second, our hearts are allowed to be still...the pressure of decision no longer lays on our hearts, rather, it lays at God's feet. Through prayer, we are given the chance to escape from the toils of our obligations with the comfort that God is in control.

Acknowledge that you are only human, friends. God is good at being God, so let Him.