Conduct yourself wisely. . .making the most of . . time. (Colossians 4:5) NRSV
Charles Schwab once offered to pay Ivy Lee, a management consultant, any reasonable amount if he could just show him how to accomplish more each day. Lee gave him the following formula: Sit down every night and list in order of priority, your 6 most important tasks for the next day. Then spend the day working down that list until it is completed. At the end of the day destroy the list and make a new one for the next day. Even if you only get one or two of the jobs done, it’s ok. Just do first things first. I have implemented this into my life and it has so helped me. It seems to be a great system for me. I learned from my sweet late husband that nothing works without a system. Lee told Schwab to try this system for a month and then send him a check for what he thinks it’s worth. A month later Schwab sent him a check for $25,000 saying it was the best advice he’d every received!
The term “time management” is misleading because you can’t really delay, hasten, save or manage time. You can only manage yourself by establishing the right priorities. That’s why the Bible says “Conduct yourselves wisely. . . making the most of . . .time.” C. S. Lewis said, “Put first things first and you get second things thrown in. But put second things first and you lose both.”
Today ask God to show you His priorities for your life, then set your personal goals and agenda accordingly. Go ahead try it! There’s no feeling like knowing you’re in God’s will, doing the right thing at the right time!
