How and where are you spending your time in a given day? Time management is essential in order for you to get the most of your day. How many times have you said, “I just don’t have enough time.”
The truth is we all have the exact same amount of time, 24 hours. But it is what you do with that time that makes you a success or failure.
Guilty Heart
You know in your heart when your time had not been well spent. You have that gut wrenching feeling the kids did not eat a good meal while you were busy online or texting a friend.
You may even scramble at the last minute trying to tidy up the house just before your husband comes home. In the last few minutes you are hoping to get some sanctity in your home just before he walks in the door. But more than likely you end up being frustrated at all you have not accomplished yet.
In addition, your children always manage to make last minute messes. By the time hubby walks through the door the sanctuary has turned into a mad house. And the most heavy guilt filled words are when husband says, “What have you been doing all day?”
“And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?” Luke12:42
All the while you make excuses, especially concerning time and how you just do not have enough of it.
Well my scenario may not apply to you but it is the reality I often faced when I did not manage my 24 hour day.
Humbling
“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16
Now if you are serious about redeeming the time then I recommend that you record what you are doing that given moment. I call this the Humility Time Recorder. I must admit it is not my favorite because it is quite revealing. Yet it is so necessary. When you write things down you are able to face the truth and do something about and improve your time management.
You will need a notebook where you will jot the date and time you start a given activity and then record the time you stopped. Then add the time up. You must be absolutely honest with yourself when doing this.
In fact, I highly encourage you, that when you first begin you go a bit overboard. By this I mean you record absolutely everything. Do this for one solid day but if you can do it for a full week that would be even better. After you complete this challenge then you will evaluate your activities categorizing which were those that where time wasters and add them up. Then add up the those things which were productive.
If you spend quite a bit of time on your computer like I do, then this little nifty but very revealing tool will tell you where you spent your time. It is called Rescue Time. You can see a the screen shot I took this past Monday of my dashboard. I knew I was spending a lot of time on the computer on Monday. Oh wow, I did not realize it was that long! Like I said very revealing.
Time Managment with a Purpose
My main purpose for being online is to bring God glory by being a blessing to others. But I also have a a responsibility as a wife, of being mother as well as ministering to our ladies offline here in Nicaragua. Jumping online is also ministry as long as I do not get distracted, which is very easy to do.
The key is to view time managment, not as a way to balance your time but rather to prioritize your time in order of importance. As you take a scripture look at your biblical responsibilities you will see how to prioritize your responsibilites and device a time management plan that is tailored to your needs.
For me, my first priority is to my husband then children. They are my primary ministry. Then as God gives grace I am also able to minister in the lives of ladies both on the mission field and online.
Another important fact is to be truthful with yourself. I will admit sometimes it is easier in one sense not concern myself with evaluating my time and not taking time management seriously. Some days things may be great and run smoothly. But then there are days that if you are not careful you find yourself spending two, three or more hours on things that are not productive to your God given goals.
Time management, like any gift God gives you, should be taken seriously because it is certain one day you will give an account. Only what counts for eternity, before God will be of real value.
“Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. ” 1 Cor 3:13
Tell Me…
How do you manage your time?
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