Time Management

If you are a high school student you have probably heard about the subject of Time Management. Time management is the practice of managing your time so that you use it most effectively. Remember again that time is a gift given to us from God. It is a resource which cannot be saved, must be spent, and everyone receives the same amount of. The only choice we have related to time is how we spend the time we are given. And again,

"When we choose to spend time doing one thing, we automatically choose not to spend that same time doing something else"

Time management principals are similar to Success principals. They primarily deal with how to most productively use our time, they don’t determine which goals are important and which goals aren’t, as indicated by the Bible. As Christians we can use these principals to more effectively use the time God has given us, so that we use the time for His goals and His glory.

One realization to make when we are thinking about how we use the time God has given us is that we can find ourselves quite busy at times seemingly doing God’s work. The reality some have found is that they are mistaking being busy for spiritual effectiveness. They are so caught up in being busy that they haven’t thought about what they are busy with and if their activity really is what God wants from them. If you have read the section on Success, you might be thinking of the question,

"Are they using their time successfully?"

In the book of Revelations we see God’s criticism of the church in Sardis.

Rev 3:1 ‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.'

In the book of Mark, we see Jesus cursing a fig tree, because even though it was “in leaf”, it wasn’t bearing fruit.

Mark 11:13-14 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.”

Leaves could be considered activity that is done, and fruit as our spiritual accomplishments for God. Do the activities we engage in for God generate fruit, or only leaves?

It is equally important to realize that we can get so discouraged by what we see in the world and the overwhelming need that we don’t do anything, thinking that our efforts won’t make any difference. Here is a story I heard that illustrates this well. You may have already heard it.

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, "What are you doing?" The youth replied, "Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them back, they'll die."Son," the man said, "don't you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can't make a difference!" After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said, "I made a difference for that one."

God is not so much interested in our ability as our availability. As long as we are open to His leading, He will lead us into activities that are productive toward His desires, and lead us to those He desires for us to communicate with. I believe that when we think about our ability, we are looking at ourselves, and what we can do. When we look to be available to God, we are looking to Him and what He will do through us. Do you see the difference in focus?

The Decision Making section has information and tools to help you make God honoring decisions. And with the following links you have tools to help you toward the goals you have decided that are God honoring.

The Tyranny of the Urgent

https://bible.org/seriespage/appendix-tyranny-urgent

Effective Time Management: Avoiding the Tyranny of the Urgent

http://www.strategicpeoplesolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Covey-Tyranny-of-the-Urgent-whitepaper.pdf

Time Management Grid

Stephen Covey‘s Time Management Matrix Explained

www.planetofsuccess.com/blog/2015/stephen-coveys-time-management-matrix-explained/

Coaching Tools 101: The Urgent Important Matrix

www.thecoachingtoolscompany.com/coaching-tools-101-h-urgent-important-matrix/

11 Time Management Tips That Work

www.thebalancesmb.com/time-management-tips-2947336

Eat That Frog & The ABCDE Method