Customer Reviews

The Overload Syndrome: Learning to Live Within Your Limits

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In my humble opinion, "Overload Syndrome" is better than Swenson's first book, "Margin", mainly because the author gets to the prescription sooner and spends less time defining the problem.

For example, in "Margin", you are over 1/3 into the book before Swenson gives a clear and comprehensive definition of the term "margin". In "Overload Syndrome", Swenson spends the first 50 pages describing overload syndrome and the last 150 giving prescriptions for the problems. Therefore, more text in "Overload Syndrome" is spent giving solutions. Granted, in our time and age we want a quick fix to our problems without delving deeply into the problem. However, Swenson's prescriptions are not the quick fixes we may have grown accustomed to and are profound in their simplicity.

For example, some of Swenson's excellent prescriptions include how to:

1. Make solitude a priority for resting and thinking.
2. Deal correctly with possesions so they do not
possess you.
3. Combat media overload.
4. Deal with information overload.
5. Make wise choices.
6. Lower expectations.
7. Slow down and enjoy life.

Practically everyone who reads the book struggles with one or more of the above areas and will greatly benefit from reading "Overload Syndrome"!

Dr. Swenson hits it square on - our society worships overload.... overloaded schedules, overloaded homes with no place to put all of the "stuff" we acquire and no TIME to use it, and overloaded spirits, where there is no room to hear our creator, as we cry out from weariness. This book was a life-changer for me, and it will be my gift of choice for all of my family and friends for some time to come. What a welcome message...that we don't need to do it all, and in fact, we HURT ourselves, our families, and our communities, by stuffing our lives so full that we have no breathing room to see the beautiful sunset, to hear the sound of the hummingbirds outside the window, to experience the joy of watching our growing children, to be a friend, to respond to our God who seeks us. If everyone read this book, and took it seriously, I can only being to imagine what a wonderful place we'd create.

I started reading Dr. Swenson's books because I heard they were chosen for our large group study at our church. I am a small group leader, and people in our group asked what "Margin" and "Overload" were all about. I thought I'd better get the books and find out. They both really spoke to me where I live...at the edge! I think I got more out of overload because Dr. Swenson takes less time explaining the phenomenon, and more giving his "prescriptions." I'm looking forward to building more margin into my life with the help Dr. Swenson gives as well as helping others to see how they can as well. I was privileged to meet Dr. Swenson when he came to talk to our church. The turnout was amazing! You can tell that this is an important issue for our times. I highly recommend the books.

I read this book and it has changed my entire outlook on life----family, work, my faith. The insight and arguments made bring relevance to the pressures and problems of everyday life. The author lives what he writes and helps us learn to live a life that is counter culture, one that is totally focused on Christ.

Dr. Swenson provides real ideas about simplifying your lifestyle, thus avoiding the "Overload Syndrome". He backs up his argument with applicable scripture and prescribed discipline. If we really adhered to his reccomendations, our lives WOULD definitely be simpler. It's both inspiring and encouraging. A must-read for the frantic folks among us.

This book can truly change your life if you let its still. small voice bring your life back to what God intended it to be. As this book explains, there are seasons of busyness, and there are seasons of rest. Modern life has sped up to the point that we seem to believe we must be running 25 hours a day, that everything rests on our shoulders. But that isn't true! God doesn't give us more than we can handle- we take the burden on ourselves. This book is not a quick fix guide by any means. It simply explains what the modern overload syndrome is and how to escape, by asking questions and offering broad guidelines that encourage you to look at your life and decide how it needs to change in order to bring back a level of sanity and the margin that we all so desperately need against the world's ever increasing demands.

It would seem a simple solution. But, in today's world things have become so difficult and solutions so time consuming.That's why Swenson breaks the prescription down into small easy-to-swallow pills. Through humor and a great deal of common sense, Swenson shows how you can carve out a margin in four key areas of your life: emotional, physical, time and financial. By becoming Goal-Focused and God-Focused, you can unplug and eliminate a large portion of the stress in your life, thereby avoiding Overload Syndrome.

In 25 years of pastoral ministry, I have never seen as much hyperactivity among God's people as I do today. As ministers we share a substantial portion of the blame, working long hours and even experiencing burnout in an attempt to be all things to all people at all times. Swenson's words here are a breath of fresh air to Christians and churches alike who find themselves suffocating beneath unrealistic schedules and expectations.

The author begins by defining overload and emphasizing the reality of human limitations. He then lists several varieties of overload in our society, and offers prescriptions on how to cure each of them. Swenson is not only a professing Christian, but also a practicing physician. The cures offered here are not so much for the body as they are for the heart, soul and mind.

For me, this book is a definite keeper. I'm recommending it to other church leaders who think busyness is akin to godliness. As Swenson expresses here time and time again, just the opposite is true. Busyness is the enemy of godliness.

If you feel you have too many "irons in fire" at home, at work, at school or at church, this book will bring order and renewal to the midst of the chaos. Try it -- you'll see!

This book is one of the best I have ever read. It addresses issues concerning the risks involved in our fast-paced society. There are many practical details explaining physical, mental, and emotional stresses that result in overload. The author offers solutions for these problems. Referring to his earlier book, "Margin," he explains that we must build breaks in our schedules, budgets, etc. to avoid disaster. I just bought the workbook to start efforts for positive change.

Purchased at a garage sale, I didn't know what to expect.

I was Pleasantly (? well...no the news wasn't pleasant, really) surprised to find the answers to my ever-present questions, why is life soooo hectic and why don't I have time to do more fun stuff? I'm s'posed to be RETIRED for heanven's sake!

This should be a basic read for everyone...explains why we feel so harried and frustrated in our culture today.