Page 85 - The Prosperous Way _ (APRIL 2024 v3)

FINDING FAVOUR

MANAGING TIME AND MANAGING SELF

Perhaps the most important success habit is the effective management
of time. The Bible tells us in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 that there is a proper time
and place for everything. For us, this means that there is a time for work,
and a time for social interaction, for worship and for rest. To achieve a
balanced life, we must seek to manage time so that we engage in the
appropriate activity at the appropriate time, and also that we accomplish
what is most important within the time allotted.

Effective time management has many components: First, it involves
working with skill. Ecclesiastes 10:10 tells us that “if the axe is dull and its
edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.”
We have already covered the importance of developing competence.
But in today’s world, sharpening your axe also means understanding
how to use tools (such as technology) to work more efficiently.

Secondly, time management involves being able to filter the important
and the unimportant so that we spend the limited time that we have
most effectively. We do this first by understanding what those to whom
we are accountable consider important. Then we train ourselves in the
discipline of spending our time on what is important to them, not what
we consider important or what we prefer to do. This focus on what is
important to those for whom we work will also help us curb tendencies
towards procrastination or perfectionism that can ravenously and
ruthlessly devour our time. Knowing what is important also allows us to
say “no” to what is not important so that we do not overextend
ourselves and wear ourselves out, or alternatively fail to meet our
commitments. Saying “no” also means delegating or transferring to
others work that can and should in fact be done by others, as Moses did
on the advice of his father-in-law, Jethro, in Exodus 18:17-23.

Finally, time management involves the ability to stay focused and
energetic. Focus and energy help to get things done within the limits of
the time allotted. Focus means staying present in the moment and not
drifting off task or allowing ourselves to be unnecessarily interrupted.
Obviously, the greatest driver of focus and energy is passion for the
work that we do. And we have already reviewed the importance of
seeking out work that uses our natural talents. But there are also
practical strategies for sustaining our energy over time, such as good
health habits (adequate sleep and nutrition, and regular exercise).

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