It's a new month and time for a new discipline. Last month my focus was on being a continual learner which was a building block for this whole journey through discipline. This month is another building block. It is all about setting a schedule and sticking to it.
I have to confess that I don't live by a schedule. For some reason, a schedule feels like one of two things to me...
1. Set-up for Failure: What if I build a schedule for myself and don't do it perfectly? Gasp! I'm reminded what my boss teaches about failure. He says that we learn the important stuff through failure. We learn to walk by falling down. We learn to eat by missing our mouths. And last month's book, "The Relief of Imperfection" (which I haven't finished yet - ironic, huh?)was all about tackling this fear of failure thing.
2. Restriction: Somewhere along the way I've developed a feeling that following a schedule is very restrictive - almost like punishment. I don't know where that wacky thought comes from - all I know is that I butt up against it every time I think about setting a schedule. As I was thinking it through this morning, I was reminded of this scripture...
"All things are legitimate [permissible--and we are free to do anything we please], but not all things are helpful (expedient, profitable, and wholesome). All things are legitimate, but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life]." (I Cor 10:23, Amplified)
Maybe I need to be reminding myself that I have FREEDOM to do whatever I want but that I might find MORE FREEDOM in making my time do what I want and not being a slave to doing whatever is most URGENT.
I'm tired of feeling like the tail is wagging the dog. Something's gotta give. So this month is all about working towards better time management. We've all got the same 24 hours and I CAN do everything that I choose is important (everything that passes my "personal priority test"). It's about choosing what is best over what is good. And that looks different for each of us.
I was in a group last week where the discussion was all about taking control of your time and the scripture we were discussing was Genesis 1:28...
"Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”" (NIV)
From the very beginning, God has told us to "have dominion" - not just be mindless about our actions, decisions and time choices. The implication is to "TAKE" dominion - that it is a deliberate choice to set things in order.
My next step in this journey is to get some alone time on Thursday and do some journaling and calendar work. I'll let you know how it goes. I'd love to know your thoughts on how you keep a control on your time. What do you do that works for you?
By the way, this month's personal development book is one I just found yesterday - "How Did I Get So Busy?" by Valorie Burton. (I actually found it on the Bargain rack at Mardels for a buck!) It is a 28-day plan/journal/book about reclaiming your schedule and reconnecting with what matters most. I figure there are 28 days in this month so that will be perfect! One of today's challenges is to think through what my ideal day would look like. I'm gonna tackle that on Thursday - I'll keep you updated.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
So Merle, you asked, "how do you keep control of your time?" Well lets think aboutthis logically shall we. Your right in the fact that everyone has the same 24 hours in a day to do everything they need to do. And you know in our line of business that we get I'm too busy to have a party all the time. That is because having a party for us is not high on thier priority list. Their kids are on there with thier husband, job, grocery shoppig, kids sports, getting thier hair done ect.
ReplyDeleteBut we know that. So how can we solve your problem of "needing better time managment?" Let me explain something I read out of a book in college. I would first start by saying that in our businesses we could get a phone call from a hostess or customer or team member at any second of the day. That phone call will then divert your attention away from what you were doing for 2 minutes to an hour. When that attention is diverted it takes more time for you to figure out where you left off from whatever you were doing before the phone call then if you would have ignored the phone call. That is just the reality and nature of the business you are in but at your level of managment it is also more time consumming that most people think. Wy do you think it is so hard to get ahold of executives and business owners of big companies. They simply dont answer thier phones not becuase they dont want to talk to whoeveris ont he other line, but becuase if they divert thier attention away from what they are doing to answer all the phone calls they would get on a daily bases they would never get anything done. Sound familiar doesnt it?!?!?!
I read some books in college that really helped me to learn what was taking up my time and how to handle all that God gave me so I didnt feel like I was in over my head. I suggest you read the book called, "the 7 habits of highly Effective people." I know I have told you to do this before and dont think you took me seriously but even if you dont have time to read the entire book read Habit 3 - Principles of personal managment (I have it if you would like to borrow it). This chapter will help you realize that some if not a lot of what you are doing in your day that makes you so "busy" you do becuase you think that the world will crumble if you dont do it when in reality no will notice if you did or didnt do it. You need to focus on the things that will actually get you closer your life goals and what you want to accomplish.
Merle, as my manager you told us all to right our goals down and that is how we are going to measure our success in our business's. Have you done it? Are they smart? Have you written goals down for your jobs? I know that I have been encourageing you to finally quit your office job becuase even you have stated that it is getting in the way of LS business. But you dont want to quit becuase you love that job, which is great. BUT even though you love it and have a passion for it, it is getting in the way of your goals with your business! True? So what is there to think about? Your wasting time trying to figure out how to manage your time when you already know how to make more time for yourself. Are you in denial? As my mom always told me sometimes we have to sacrific the little things to get the big things. She said this to me when I bought my truck in High School and I had to sacrifice the little thing of hanging out with my friends and going out to eat with them to go to a second job to pay for my car. LOL such an elementry principle in life that we fight so hard not to do as adults LOL!!! Hope this helps!!!!