Have you ever tried to do something all at once, thinking it would be faster that way, and failed? If we haven’t discovered it already, we’ll discover that in many cases, it can be faster and more efficient to do things part and parcel than to try and do them all at once.

I saw this recently while watching the recycle pick-up guy trying to gather all our cardboard boxes into the truck. Some big, some smaller, some empty, some filled with other things. He tried to pick them up all together but at least one box kept dropping. He tried three times— arranging his arms, body and boxes this way and that to hold on to them all.

He thought he’d get the job done quicker that way. But nothing worked. So, he finally gave up on trying to be faster and picked up a few boxes (parcels), whatever he could handle, put them in the truck, and then another few. And got it all done.

Imagine if he’d done that to begin with. He would have completed the job much faster. With a lot less frustration and stress.

Imagine if we accept our limitations and not try to do more than we can handle at one time. We’ll avoid unnecessary stress, frustration, and impatience with ourselves, as we discover we actually get things done more efficiently.

This part-and-parcel, bit-at-a-time principle works in many areas. Consider a major project at work, for example. If we try to do it all at once, we won’t be able to plan in sequence, or know where to begin, or have a foundation to build on, or continue building.

Or language learning—If we try to learn too much at once, we won’t remember anything because our brain can’t incorporate that many new words, new grammar rules, etc., without practice. But when we “learn a little, use a lot”, each of those “parcels” of language becomes integrated into our thoughts and has a “home” in our brains so we can recall them and even start thinking in that new language.

Or running a race with hurdles—No one can jump over all the hurdles at the same time. They have to run and jump over each of them one at a time.

Or building a house— Builders begin with the cornerstone, then the foundation, then walls, and so on. They know we can’t have sides (walls) without a bottom, we can’t have a top (roof) without sides, or inner structure without an outer structure. Sure, we can have many people working together, such as in an Amish barn-raising. But even then, each worker does their part, moving from section to section. Even prefab houses are made of sections/parts first made and then put together.

This brings us to personal and spiritual growth. All of us would love to wake up totally mature tomorrow, with no weaknesses, issues, flaws, or sin, once we realize what we need to work on. Perfect character, emotional intelligence, social intelligence, leadership skills, etc. But here’s what happens when we try to grow in every area at the same time—we can’t and don’t concentrate on any area for long enough to make a difference. It’s like sitting in the middle of a lake in a canoe, trying to paddle in every direction—we end up not making progress in any direction and go nowhere.

We only have so much capacity to work on and incorporate real growth. So, for example, let’s suppose you take a strengths assessment and discover several “growth areas” (positive way of saying “weaknesses”). Some you already know about and others some as a surprise. You, like most of us, may react with “Oh wow, now I’ve gotta work on this, this, this, this, this…!” and try to grow in every way at once, because no weakness feels good once we know we have it!

But we have limited time and energy. Which means we can’t immediately start getting two hours of exercise a day, do relationship building, work on our organizational skills, achieve better self-control/emotional regulation, become more self-compassionate, empathetic, and so on, all together, immediately! Things will drop (like the recycle boxes) and we’ll spend more time picking them back up and being frustrated with ourselves, while not accomplishing any growth (the canoe analogy). We can’t even achieve any one of these in a day.

This is why the Lord told Moses, (about enemy nations here): “But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you.” (Ex. 23:29) Meaning, it’s too overwhelming and counterproductive for us to try to overcome too many bad habits or develop too many new good habits at once. And the Lord even used the word “year”, not day!

Does this mean we can’t tackle more than one thing at a time? No. Some growth areas are similar enough to deal with at the same time, such as emotional intelligence, emotional regulation, and becoming a better listener. Or overcoming judgmentalism and gossiping. Or some areas can be “nested” inside others or grouped together, such as becoming kinder and more generous. Just as with the recycling boxes and bags—as long as neither are too bulky or too much together to handle.

“As you go, step by step, I will open up the way before you.” Prov. 4:12

“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Pet. 1:5-8. A wonderful example of part and parcel added to each other for spiritual and character growth.

What are some things in your life that you’d accomplish much quicker and more effectively, by doing them part by part? Get ready to enjoy much less stress and frustration and more satisfaction of a job well done and life better lived when you do!