First, spend some time praying
and thinking about who you are and your life mission. Who are you and what are
you about? You'll want to know this so your use of time, your commitments, and
your calendar are purpose-full.
Second, make a list of the three to
five things in your life that matter the most to you. What really matters to
you? What are the key priorities in your life?
Third, make a list of your
"Big Three." Those are three big things you want to be sure you get
done in the next one to three years.
Fourth, make a simple listing of
where your time goes in a typical day and week. Especially, look at the time
you have away from work. In other words, where & how do you use your
discretionary time? Compare where your time goes with what you have said is
most important to you. If your priorities aren't priorities in your calendar,
if you don't see room for the people and the things that matter most to you,
then prayerfully put together a simple Action Plan.
Fifth, the Action Plan is nothing
more than a simple statement, in a short paragraph form, that lists several
changes you will be making in your calendar and commitments. This plan should
be action-oriented. This plan should be doable...realistic...often involving
incremental steps. And it should take into account who you are. Any plan will
fail if it doesn't fit or match who you are in terms of personality type. I
read about someone who worked hard to set aside 15-30 minutes a day for silent
prayer and meditation. It worked for about four days, and then the whole thing
fell apart because she is a "doer." She is "wired" to be
moving. So instead of being still and quiet she now prays as she jogs. The
physical work of running frees her mind for prayer. Sitting still was a
distraction.
Sixth, share your observations
and plan with someone who knows you well, and someone to whom you will be
accountable. Be sure to talk through, with the people who will be most impacted
by your plan, the changes you are considering. Don't be rude or surprise people
without some kind of an explanation up front.
Seventh, expect resistance.
Change is never easy.
Eighth, once you, God and the
people who love you best have worked out a sustainable, healthy calendar,
remember to pray and "count the cost" before you add something new to
your calendar. If you are considering a major new commitment, then be serious
about removing another major new commitment off your schedule. If you are
adding something big, then remove something big.
Ninth, before you begin a day
make a list of your "A" projects and "B" projects. This
list making may only take 3 minutes, but it is a way of mapping out the day.
Identifying the essentials that must get done. (A friend told me to also make a
list of "C" projects and then throw that list away.)
Tenth, leave "margins"
in your calendar. In other words, don't schedule yourself solid. Assume
interruptions. In the construction business they call these "expansion
joints." So that the deck of a bridge or the skin of a building can expand
or contract in response to sunlight or the temperature of the air. Don't
schedule yourself solid but leave some open space. Unexpected things may fill
in some of those open spaces, and if not then you will have some time to get
ahead...think...breathe.
No calendar or life is perfectly
balanced. In fact, the goal isn't perfect balance but a life where some things
come first...and are more important than other things. The best lives are
"unbalanced" in favor of God, relationships and justice! "Seek
first the kingdom," the New Testament says.
Remember to be gracious with
yourself. If you have a crazy week or your calendar crashes, don't give up! We
all need grace...
"This is the day the LORD
has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!"
In Christ and for Christ,
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