Many avid churchgoers have a habit of taking on too many projects and responsibilities. This tendency probably comes from a good place. They see a need and want to make sure that it's taken care of. After a while, though, they may get burned out and need to drop everything, leaving a gap in service until someone else can take over. This pattern often continues until it becomes difficult to get anyone to volunteer for certain tasks.

The tasks that have a reputation for being undesirable, however, are probably not the problem. The real issue is a general lack of understanding about when it's appropriate to say yes to a task and when it's better to decline. Here are some questions to ask that will help you respond rather than react to requests for service, which in turn can help break any unproductive cycles that are present in your congregation.

Is There a Reason To Say No?

The first thing you want to do when you are trying to stay open to new opportunities without overloading your schedule is to assess the reasons you are hesitant to take on the new task. There are many reasons you might experience a knee-jerk negative reaction:

• The negativity of others
• Fear that you won't be good at it
• Bad volunteer experiences in the past
• A full schedule

Some of these factors may actually be good reasons to turn down the request. However, you owe it to yourself to give it some thought before landing on a default negative answer. If nothing but fear is holding you back, consider accepting on a trial basis, even if it's unfamiliar or outside your comfort zone. You may discover it's something you really enjoy doing.

Does It Move You Closer to a Personal Goal?

It's nice to want to be helpful, and certainly not everything you volunteer to do is going to be all about you. Anything that takes your attention or holds a place in your schedule, particularly for an extended period of time, should be something that you care about on some level, though. Check the opportunity against your core values. Does it line up? Does it fit in with your personal goals or help you become the person you want to be, or does it distract from the path you're trying to take? It's important to get clarity on this issue before you make a decision.

Can You Bring a Friend?

One of the reasons you may be skeptical is that you don't want to end up doing all the work yourself for a particular project. This is a valid concern. After all, you need to be able to manage your responsibilities and still have time for family and friends. A good way to address this challenge is to combine the work you'll be doing with your social life. Rather than signing up alone, propose a team approach and organize a group of friends to help out. Share the meaningful service experience with others.

Can You Start Small?

Many people balk at volunteering because they see the big picture but don't realize that there are a lot of smaller tasks that need to get done too. If the project that is proposed to you seems too overwhelming to jump into with both feet, ask if you can wade into the shallows instead. You can always volunteer for more responsibility later if you decide you enjoy it.

It's good to learn to decline requests when you truly don't have the time to commit. You don't have to shut out every opportunity, though. Learning the right time to accept allows you to do so with enthusiasm.