TIME: 4 Steps to Redeeming Time!

Years ago, when I arrived late to a lunch meeting, someone joked, “Hey Scott, you’ll be late to your own funeral.” Humor often reveals truth, and I had to admit he was onto something. Do you, like me, struggle with time management?

What’s beneath the surface of poor time management? Some of us say yes to almost everything out of fear of missing out. We don’t want to miss the next meeting, event, or gathering, so we say YES and leave no margin for our spouse, children, friends, or health. I’m guilty of this.

What’s the result? When we try to do everything, we end up worn out and unable to fully deliver on our commitments. Even with the best intentions, we fall short. I’ve come to realize that we need a new strategy—one that requires planning, prioritizing, recognizing limits, living realistically, and watching out for time wasters.

Here are four steps I’ve found helpful for redeeming time:

Step 1: Take Stock of Your Personal, Spiritual, and Work Demands

Break down your life into these areas:

• Personal: Marriage, children, friendships, physical health, personal growth
• Spiritual: Prayer, meditation, quiet walks, yoga, worship
• Work: Create a weekly timeline of your work tasks

List out the activities that make up each area. What are you doing (or not doing)? Are you making time for your spouse, your children, and unhurried time with friends? Are you exercising regularly? Are you investing in your personal growth through reading or listening to something inspiring? And are you bringing work home with you? Taking stock in this way will reveal where you need to create balance.

Step 2: Plan Your Week, Starting with the Personal

There are 168 hours in a week. About a third is spent sleeping and another third working. That leaves a third of “crazy, undefined time.” To bring order, start planning your week with personal priorities first.

While we know we’ll sleep and work, it’s crucial to be intentional with our remaining time. Plan your week by scheduling your personal life first: When will you work out, spend time with your spouse, be with your children, enjoy happy hour with friends, or listen to a podcast for spiritual growth? Once the personal is planned, you can build in your work and sleep schedules around it.

Step 3: Prioritize and Create Margins

Everything may feel important, which is why we often feel we’re running on empty. But ironically, this urgency makes us miss out on what truly matters. Jordy Mackay’s article, “The ‘Everything is Important’ Paradox: 7 Practical Methods for Prioritizing Work,” outlines ways to improve our time management. Here are some methods Mackay shares:

1. Capture everything in a master list, then break it down by monthly, weekly, and daily goals.
2. Separate the urgent from the important using the Eisenhower Matrix.
3. Prioritize tasks by their true importance with the Ivy Lee Method.
4. Organize tasks with the ABCDE method.
5. Set the tone for your day by “Eating the frog”—tackling your hardest task first.
6. Cut out “good enough” goals with Warren Buffett’s 2-list strategy.
7. Avoid the sunk cost fallacy—don’t waste time trying to fix things beyond repair.

When we take time to identify what’s most important, we’re better able to create margin in our lives, allowing us to be more present with people and work.

Step 4: Watch Out for Time Sucks

Finally, be mindful of distractions that waste time. Managing ourselves is key to managing our time. Here are a few strategies that have helped me (I’m still a work in progress!):

• Turn off notifications (except for family calls or texts).
• Set daily priorities and goals.
• Don’t procrastinate. Ask yourself why you’re putting things off—is it fear? A lack of interest? I remind myself, “Don’t lose a day to fear. Step into it,” and “Don’t avoid the unknown. Embrace it.”
• Stop multitasking.
• Keep your workspace organized.
• Schedule specific times for social media.
• Check email at set times.
• Learn to say NO.
• Get enough sleep.
• Know your most productive time of day.
• Delegate effectively.

Freedom to Lead and Live comes when we focus on redeeming our time.

Taking control of our time allows us to lead with purpose and live with intention. Give it a try, and see the difference it can make.