Since we are at the beginning of the year, I think it’s the perfect time to sit and chat about time management so that we can get the most out of this New Year.
Ever felt that somehow you don’t seem to have 24hrs a day like everyone else? Maybe you are like me and at the end of the day there is still more stuff to accomplish, than hours left, making you retire to bed dissatisfied that you didn’t get everything done.
Well the wise in the bible says, there is a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). God has a great sense of organisation. Looking at the universe and everything being held in place is a miracle, when I can’t contain the clutter just in my closet.

God created the notion of time and seasons. During creation, God created one thing at a time knowing that He could do just so much in a given day and call it a night, even though He had the power to create the whole universe in a single day. (Genesis 1:3-20). We should not think we can do more than God. We tend to cram so much in our schedules and then go crazy from one thing to another only to stress ourselves out. For the longest time I kept on giving the excuse that I was so busy I didn’t have time, but later realised I did have enough time, but I wasn’t using it wisely.

When it comes to time management, there is one principle key; determining priorities. By well defining our priorities we will not always be working in a crisis mode, where everything is urgent. We will be able to separate emergencies, priorities, important and non important items. A big enemy of time management is procrastination. When we don’t deal with priorities timely, they soon become emergencies and we are soon working in a panic mode. Make sure your schedule has enough flexibility for any real emergencies.
Establish what your priorities for this year are and plan time accordingly for them.

Women we tend to do everything and take care of everyone but forget ourselves. As you plan important stuff in your calendar, it’s important to put fun stuff as well. This will not only remind you to do it, but also make it a priority. When was the last day you booked yourself for a walk, coffee with friends, or a massage? If you wait until you have time you will never have it. We need to make intentional time to be with our children and spouses as well. Imagine the joy, if your daughter or son saw that you have actually scheduled a time for him or her in your schedule. This is an area I myself I’m working to improve.
Here are some ideas I use for maximizing my time.

– I do laundry on Friday evenings, not only is it energy efficient but it’s usually a time the whole family gets to catch up on how everyone’s week went. We fold the laundry while watching a movie.
– Do groceries in the middle of the week. The produce is fresher and there is less line up at the cash than doing it over the week end.
– Cook for the week on Saturdays and freeze small portions that can be thawed once and fully consumed. This avoids wastage and you have healthy meals.
– Delegate some of the chores, so that you are less burdened.
– Have a weekly/monthly menu this worked well for me, especially in buying groceries and not having to always figure out what’s for dinner. I have to admit I got side tracked and didn’t maintain it after a couple of months but I am planning to go back to it.
– I always have a check list of what I need to do everyday and this keeps me on track.

Share with us what works for you to get the most out of your time. Just remember time waits for no man so make the most of it.