A Heart of Wisdom to Manage My Days

By: Lauren Thomas 

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by all the choices and opportunities swirling around me asking for my time. There’s obviously the housekeeping, the childrearing, the churchgoing and serving. But which books should I read? What social events do I RSVP to? What hobbies could I take up? How should I allot my time to all the various demands? And in these moments where I feel paralyzed by possibilities, I pray these words:
 

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12 (ESV)

 
This verse is from a Psalm by Moses, and in my Bible, it is found beneath the heading, “From Everlasting to Everlasting.” How fitting. God is eternal. I am finite. How do I organize my finite days to get a heart of wisdom? And what would that heart of wisdom teach me about managing my time? 
 

Here are three ideas:

1) Create a mission statement. A mission statement isn’t only for businesses and organizations. A mission statement can help us determine what things are worth our time and energy. It can help us clarify what may or may not help us achieve our goals. 

2) The importance/urgency matrix. Imagine a four-quadrant grid. The lines that separate the four quadrants represent low to high importance, and low to high urgency. You end up with four boxes with these designations: 

• high importance, high urgency
• high importance, low urgency
• low importance, high urgency
• low importance, low urgency

If something is important and urgent, take care of it immediately. If something is important, but not urgent, make a plan for tackling it another time. If something is not important, but is urgent, ask yourself if you can find help with it or delegate it (i.e., could my spouse help with it, or a friend, etc.). And if it is not important and not urgent, are you willing to eliminate it (i.e., scrolling on your phone)?

3) And of course, let prayer cover it all. Sometimes I might think something is important, but once I devote it to prayer, I see that my perspective was wrong. And other times, something that I thought wasn’t urgent suddenly becomes urgent if I allow the Holy Spirit to convict me about it. 

 
Reflection:
How do you effectively manage your time?
Has this post sparked any ideas you would like to try?