The Seemingly Impossible Task of Time Management
I definitely don’t have it all figured out by any means, and I’m still working on the process, but some thoughts that were shared with me a while back really keep striking home. Take a look at 1 Timothy 3:12-13:
A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.”
Whenever I’ve looked at and pondered those verses in the past all I saw was the qualification of a deacon to manage his children well, but the verse says children and household. Household encompasses a great deal! Managing your household includes, but is not limited to:
- Having the means to provide and sustain your family. (Getting out of debt if your in it and staying debt free, not living paycheck to paycheck, making wise financial decisions, etc.)
- Having the discernment to not let that provision and sustenance become your idol and god. It is very easy to fall in love with your job, especially if it pays well and you like it. Family comes before working 70-80 hour weeks.
- Deciding where to spend your time. (Do you spend it watching hours of TV, trying to find an excuse to go play a round of golf - or do you spend your time wisely, knowing when to stop working, when to enjoy leisure, and when to get things done that need to get done.)
The last factor of managing a household is key. Instead of trying to balance the time that you have, begin to manage it. If you’re like me, and are a pretty spontaneous person who also tends to procrastinate, conisder setting up a schedule. Of course you’ll need to schedule in some spontaneous time that you can just enjoy, but a schedule might be extremely helpful.
I’m just starting to really think about these things and haven’t officially applied them yet, but after thinking about Paul’s words to Timothy to charge deacons to “manage (a) household well” I’m beginning to be convicted that I’m not really doing that - and something needs to change. Join me and the journey - and maybe you have some ways that you’ve learned how to manage your time and household.