Time Management

Since (home)school has started, it can be easy to feel completely swamped with things to do. With subjects to study and assignments to complete, it’s easy to let school push everything else out of your life. Often, however, it is because of our lack of time management that we are left with no time to use in other worthwhile pursuits.

Here are some tips:

- Make spending time with God a priority. No matter how busy you are, do not let it keep you from praying, reading and meditating on God’s Word, memorizing Scripture, and praising God.

- Rise early. It can be very tempting to sleep in late but if we do, we have already lost hours of time.

- Make a to-do list. Set down goals to accomplish for the day, week, month, etc. It really does help to keep you focused.

- Again, prioritize. Put relationships before things. Put work before play. Even after you have finished school and chores for the day, there are things that should be done before play. Sharpening and using your particular talents, for instance.

- Avoid “little” distractions. Checking your email for the tenth time when you’re supposed to be working on the computer is a good example of those seemingly small distractions that steal away our time.

- Learn from your mistakes. Write a list of all the things that your time is used on. Which are necessary? Which are beneficial? Which are unimportant? Are you putting too much time into playing computer or video games, watching TV, surfing the internet, reading fiction, etc.? Identify which areas you need to work on and try to cut back.

I would love to hear how you strive to manage your time wisely! Please feel free to leave a comment with your ideas.

“Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Ephesians 5:15-17