Managing My Time Growing in Wisdom Review Time

Managing My Time Growing in Wisdom

Review • Time Management is a topic for YG because: 1) God cares how we use our time (Eph 5: 15 -16: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. ”) 2) Our use of time shows us what we care about. 3) There are significant spiritual dangers if we do not manage our time well.

Skill #1 in Time Management • Set Goals – both big picture and daily - If you are someone who is very busy, setting goals will keep you focused on the things you absolutely want to get done and will help you avoid distractions. - And if you are someone who is not very busy, setting goals will give you guidance for what to think about and what to do with your free time.

Skill #2 in Time Management • Set Priorities for your day and week - If you are someone who is extremely busy, there is always a risk that we will not get something important done because we are busy with something less important. - And if we’re not very busy, setting priorities helps us know what to do with the time we have free to us.

Skill #3 in Time Management • Manage distractions and interruptions. - Know when and where - Don’t study with your phone near you or the TV on - Perfectionism distracts and delays “If you’re perfecting something because you feel, under God, that it needs to be better for Him, that’s one thing. But if you’re doing it so people will say how good you are or because you’re afraid of criticism or failure, that’s wasting time. ”

Skill #4 in Time Management • Work diligently NOW, not later - Procrastination happens because we hate work and are avoiding it, because we can’t delay gratification and just do whatever we want to most right away, or both - Procrastination leads to more stress, poorer grades and performance, more guilt and lower self-esteem because students feel bad about doing worse than they are capable of, less sleep, and more sickness.

Skill #5 in Time Management • Rest well! - “Laziness is selfish time spent in violation of God’s command; it’s self-absorption and idleness when we are called to work. Rest, on the other hand, is a God given method of worship that allows us to refresh our hearts and minds. ” – Jaquelle Crowe

Skill #5 in Time Management • 3 Questions to ask: • Am I doing this relaxing/restful thing so that I will be refreshed to serve and work better? Or I am getting this work done as quickly as I can so that I can relax and do what I want? • Am I doing this relaxing thing so that I will be better prepared to work and serve, or am I doing this thing in order to avoid working or serving? • Does this activity leave me refreshed or leave me exhausted?

2 Final Thoughts • I don’t know what to do? How should I use my time better? 1) Make sure you are spending time in God’s word and in prayer which will help you grow. 2) Look for any and every way you can love others, whether it’s your parents or siblings, people in the church, neighbors or others. “Let love for others be the driver of your…intentional [time use]. It is love for others that fulfills God’s law. Sanctifying our time Godward will mean spending it on others in acts of love. ”

2 Final Thoughts • What about all the time I HAVE wasted? 1) Remember that there is grace for those who have wasted time. “Redeem your wasted days, weeks, and years by letting them drive you to Jesus, and inspire you, by faith, to more carefully count the days ahead. ”