Does the way you manage your time reflect what’s important to you?
In light of the sudden death of Kobe Bryant back in 2020, many of us were thinking how short life can be. His priority was his family, which is the reason he was on that helicopter. Instead of sitting in traffic on the freeway, he said flying saved him time and allowed him to be there for his children. His priorities were clear.
And the way he want about his daily life was dictated by his priorities.
O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all humankind stands as a mere breath! Selah
Psalm 39:4-5
It’s humbling to read this Psalm because we know all too well the reality of how truly short our time and influence are on this earth. I take great consolation that we have eternity to look forward to, but I also know that our eternity will be measured by how well we choose to use the time God entrusts us with.
It would seem that the concept of time has been elusive throughout the ages, as the bible is replete with many passages admonishing us to use our time wisely. Isn’t it interesting that the world is obsessed with getting more done in the shortest amount of time? No wonder time management books rank high on bestseller lists.
Productivity vs Priorities
Time is the one thing money can’t buy. And while we each have the same 24 hours each day, some of us are a lot more productive.
How we spend our time says a lot about our priorities and our habits.
- 1. Recognize Your Strengths
God has given to each of our giftings and talents, and when we recognize our particular strengths, it becomes clear that there are things only we can do, so we would do well to delegate the rest to those able to do a better job in less time.
2. Concentrate on your gift
When we concentrate on our giftings and allow others to excel in theirs, our time seems to be quadrupled. We waste so much time thinking we need to do everything; we do so because we think “our way is the best way.”
For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].
Ephesians 2: 10 AMP
3. Tap into your intuition.
Oh, those precious and few days when we can say, “I was there just at the right time.” Tapping into our intuition to be at a certain place at an opportune moment takes more than mere happenstance.
If you are truly honest with yourself, you’ll realize that such moments were usually planned and free from distractions, which allowed you to concentrate on being in the here and now.
4. Be fully engaged
Being fully engaged—not wondering if you’re going to make it on time to an appointment or upset because the day isn’t moving at a manageable flow–doesn’t just happen.
5. Plan things out
By planning your day and padding the time between your schedules, you have given yourself room to breathe and fully live in the present. Your ability to accomplish what was purposed for the day results from being fully engaged in the activity of the moment.
Share your priorities in the comments.
Next week, we’ll be talking about how to honor God with your priorities with 5 simple time management tips.
