People have different ways of keeping schedules. Some write it down on Post-its, others on planners, and others keep calendars on their gadgets. And then there are also those who don't record schedules at all and just keep record in their own heads.
Whatever your preferred style is, it's always best to grow in an effective time management habit and that involves scheduling. But did you know that God wants you to be good at keeping schedules? God teaches over and over again to be good stewards of the resources He entrusts to us, and one of those valuable resources is the time that He has given us.
We are all given the same amount of time in a day, but what sets a successful person apart from all the others is his or her ability to make the most out of it. Here are four practices that we should stop doing if we want to maximize our time.
Missing out on rest. Many professionals think that rest is equivalent to laziness or unproductivity, but God values rest. That's why Jesus calls out to all of us, saying in Matthew 28:11, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
When we rest, we don't just cease work. We cease tasks that pertain to other's affairs so we can focus on our own affairs such as our health, relationships and family. When we rest, we also give God leeway to work even when we are not working.
Thinking it will just fall into place. Proverbs 21:5 says, "The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty." God values wisdom and proper use of it, and He grants us all wisdom so that we can manage and steward our resources well.
Missing out on planning and thinking that we can just "wing it" all the time does not show for very good stewardship of our time. While things may not always go according to plan and God can make plans of His own, it's always good to start somewhere.
Not following through with it. Oh, yes, people who are late are people who do not honor God with their time. 1 John 2:5 tells us, "But whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him..." God wants us to be people of our word. When we say we'll make an appointment, we do every effort to try to follow through.
Forgetting God. God calls us to meditate on His Word and spend time with Him regularly. Do you have a set time and place where you can pray and read your Bible? If it's not in our schedules, it will likely not happen.
