We all can benefit from time management help. In fact I am always amazed at how quickly I'm drawn into the pit of depression when I fail to manage my time well. This is the very situation I have found myself in yet again -- I can so related to Paul's lament! "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do...I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out."
When the work starts to build up, I begin to feel overwhelmed. Then, because I am overwhelmed, I begin to sleep in later to avoid the feeling of stress. Sleeping in longer results in less being accomplished and now the pressure is really building. Life and work can begin to feel like a chore instead of a blessing and when that happens the slippery slide into the pit of depression has begun. When these depressed feelings start hovering like dark and foreboding rain clouds, it's time to regroup.
The Abundant Life
Jesus came so that we might have life and life more abundant. Managing time well will help us to experience the abundant life Christ has for us. Time management helps us to reduce stress, stay focused on what's important, and maintain emotional health and physical health. Below are some of the time management help tips I use successfully in my own life...
Affirm Your Righteous in Christ Alone
Paul wrote in Romans 8, "Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." He goes on to report that sin was condemned in sinful man and the righteous requirements of the law have been fulfilled by Christ on our behalf. Time management help begins first and foremost by remembering daily that our worth is not determined by what we accomplish. Jesus Christ fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law...He did for us what we could not do....live a completely righteous life. The pressure of life that often leads to time management problems comes from believing we must do it all...the truth is we don't and we can't.
Take Action: Commit to memory this week the principle of Romans 8:4 The righteous requirements of the law have been fully met in me through Christ. My righteousness is in Christ alone.
Identify Your Goals and Objectives
Once you are affirming that your righteousness is in Christ alone, this will help free you up to determine what you are to do with your time. Embracing the imputed righteousness of Christ makes it less likely that one will fall into the trap of doing things for the approval of others or to meet man made standards. To manage time well, we must know what our goals are. This doesn't matter whether you are a stay at home parent, a student, or the CEO of a major corporation. When you know what your goals are, you will learn to use your time to accomplish things that will help you reach your goals. When you find yourself loosing focus, not accomplishing what you want, revisit your goals and objectives and tweak them as necessary.
Take action: If you do not have clearly defined goals and objectives written down for yourself, schedule time this week to identify your personal goals and objectives. Include things like work, exercise, healthy eating, devoted time with the Lord, family time etc.
Learn to Say "No"
To manage stress and time well, it is mandatory to learn to say "no" without feeling guilty. Now, understand that saying "no" won't win you any popularity contests. But, you must ask yourself, "what are my goals?" Is your goal to make everyone happy or to accomplish the work God has set before you? When you know what your goals are, you will also know what to say "no" to. God calls us to be good stewards of our resources, time being one of the most precious we have. Galatians 1:10 admonishes us to not seek the approval of men, but to seek to serve God alone. This verse gives each and every one of us permission to say "no" when we feel torn by the requests of others. Very often saying "yes" will lead us away from our primary goals and objectives.
Take action: This week say "no" to at least three requests. Don't use excuses, or lengthy explanations, just say, "no".
The Power of Daily Planning
Proverbs 21:5 states, "The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty." Now that you are daily affirming that your righteousness is in Christ alone, you have written goals and objectives and you are practicing saying "no" to things that don't help you accomplish your goals, it's time to plan diligently. Preferably, in the evening before your retire, write out your list of 6 most important things you need to accomplish the next day. The things that go on your list are the 6 most important things you need to do the next day to move you closer to your goals. That means if email, TV or web surfing is not on your list, then you do not do these things until you have the items on your list accomplished.
Take action: Each day this week make your list of 6 objectives to accomplish each day.
Get a Good Nights Sleep
Do you realize that sleep is one of the most important things we do all day? According to Ecclesiastes 5:12 and Proverbs 3:24 "sweet sleep" is granted to the person who is hardworking, wise and discerning. To get a good nights sleep, work hard and seek wisdom. Practically speaking, setting goals, planning your work, affirming that Christ, not your accomplishments, has made you righteous, are all means to help you manage your time well and thus live an abundantly satisfying life and attain quality sleep.
Because sleep is so important to our emotional and physical functioning, everyone should schedule 8 hours of sleep for themselves daily. This amount of time may vary a little for some people, but research consistently shows that 8 hours is what most people need. So, planning your day, begins with planning what time you need to go to bed, in order to get 8 hours of sleep. Eight hours of sleep will help assure that you will be completely rested and physically ready for the next day. Exercising wisdom when it comes to sleep means going to bed and getting up at that same time every day.
Take action: Look at your daily goals and then determine what time you need to get up to accomplish your daily objectives. Then, subtract 8 hours for sleep and a generous amount for showering and hygiene and that will tell you what time you need to be in bed each night.
Learning to value and practice time management will help you experience the abundant life Christ has for you.
