I've Got the Gotta's

Gloria Calhoun, M.Ed.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: Ecclesiastes 3
 

Do you find yourself saying, "there are not enough hours in the day?" Have you ever had so much to do that you find yourself saying, "I got to do this, I got to do that?"  It can send you into a frenzy when you feel in control of your day and something happens to get you way off track. You think you have extra time and then realize that you have something already planned.  This can make you uneasy because suddenly, you "gotta get it done".  I call this the "Gotta's!"

 

God intended us to live in peace, not constant chaos. Time management is a skill that if we all consistently practiced, it would help us to better handle our day-to-day responsibilities. The Bible teaches that we need to surrender everything to God including our time. When we submit our priorities and goals to God we are able to evaluate and focus our attention on areas that matter most.

We all have large priorities in our lives. We have things that we enjoy doing, things that we have to do and things that clutter up our lives. With good time management skills you are in control of your time and your life, of your stress and energy levels. When you are able to maintain balance between your work, personal, and family lives, you have enough flexibility to respond to surprises or new opportunities.

Here are a few tips that could potentially help you as you begin to regain control of your time.  If you already know how you should be managing your time, but you still don't do it; don't give up, keep trying.  Now that you know better, try to do better:

1. Write it down:  When you have a thousand things going through your head of what you need to do, make lists of what you want to accomplish.  Sometimes it helps to put it on paper.
2. Analyze your priorities:  Once you have a list of things to do, prioritize them in order of importance. 
3. Take time for your self:  If you don't take care of yourself, how can you care for others? The demands of caring for others whether it be at home, work or school can take a lot out of you. Try to schedule some "me time".  If it's only 15 minutes during the day. During this time, also meditate and talk to God; He is the source of your strength.
4. Stop Procrastinating: Watch how quickly you get things done when you stop whining about what you have to do and just do it!
5. Remember you are not perfect:  It's Never a Perfect Time and no one is perfect: we are all a work in progress.(Phillipians 1:6)
6. Learn to say NO! Keep in mind that whatever we value most in life becomes our priority. No is an answer too! You can only do so much.
7. Be intentional with your time:  Use your time effectively. Each day is a gift from God that offers the opportunity to make a difference.
8. Don't judge the size of your accomplishment: If you didn't accomplish all that you set out to do for the day, feel good about what you did get done.