To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. (Eccl. 3:1)

I have struggled with time management for years. You probably can relate to the reasons I have struggled:

  1. The unexpected happens and the urgent pushes out the important.
  2. I allow other people’s plans for my time to replace my own carefully crafted things-to-do- list.
  3. There are too many things to do in a day and I never get it all done.

Do you, like me, want to handle the gift of time wisely? If so, you will understand when I say that I am frustrated because I know in my heart-of-hearts what God is calling me to do in this season of my life and I am allowing good things to get in the way of God things. I am tired because I am trying to get the never-ending good things completed so that I can get to the God things; but of course, the good things are never-ending.  I am concerned that my final God assignment will be incomplete when He calls me home and I will have no one to blame but myself.

As a life-long student, I set out to find helpful information by reading the latest research and self-help articles on time management. There are file management systems, time saving apps, time tracking software programs, and time management classes. Techniques for entrepreneurs, college students, and large company CEOs abound.

Nothing I found seemed right for me, so I developed my own system to manage my time.  It has four areas of activity: spirit, mind, body, purpose. Everything else and everybody else will be additions to these activities, not substitutions for them. I will begin this daily plan tomorrow and report back to you periodically to let you know how I am doing.

  • Spirit – spend quality time in the presence of God.

  • Mind –read enriching books and have enlightening conversations.

  • Body – eat healthy food, exercise, and get eight hour of sleep.

  • Purpose – write.

Time is a precious gift. Once a day is gone, we cannot get it back, so we must use it wisely. If you are like me and want to be an excellent steward of the time God gives you, sit down and develop a plan. If you already have a great time management plan, share it with me and my readers.

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