| Today, it is hard to open an e-mail | | | | The only argument that bears out in fact is |
| newsletter, a website, or an offline magazine | | | | that we pay more attention to giving our |
| and not see someone talking up the importance | | | | priorities lip service, than we do to finding |
| of time management. | | | | the strength, determination, and integrity |
| | | | toward defining and then honoring any real |
| The time management gurus are going out of | | | | priorities in our lives. |
| their way to teach us how to set priorities | | | | |
| in our work week, how to organize those | | | | The Christian knows to place his priorities |
| priorities, and then finally stick to our | | | | in the order of God, spouse, family, job and |
| priorities to get more done. I applaud their | | | | then finally hobbies. Yet human nature guides |
| efforts. | | | | him down the road that lays waste to any |
| | | | priority he may set for himself while in |
| Yet in all of the dozens of articles that I | | | | church on Sunday mornings. Most of the other |
| have read that speak of the importance and | | | | religions of the world teach these same |
| power of priorities in our work day, I have | | | | principles as well, and still people of all |
| yet to see one person apply this principle to | | | | faiths stumble down this same road without |
| our lives outside of our jobs. | | | | fail. |
| | | | |
| Let me show you how this is important. There | | | | Priorities, like God, require a commitment in |
| are in fact 168 hours in a week. Of those 168 | | | | our lives. We must commit ourselves to |
| hours, we spend about 40 of them working, and | | | | establishing our priorities and then to |
| we spend about 4 hours a week in transit to | | | | meeting them one at a time. God, of course, |
| and from our jobs. As a result, we are | | | | should be the number one commitment you make |
| spending just over one quarter of our lives | | | | to yourself. As through God, you will find |
| taking care of business. | | | | the strength and fortitude to establish and |
| | | | meet each of your other priorities in life; |
| We spend approximately another 56 hours each | | | | priorities of spouse, family, and job, each |
| week sleeping and another 7 hours grooming | | | | in their proper order. |
| ourselves each week. Add to this the 7 hours | | | | |
| we spend eating, and we are left with 54 | | | | Romans 12:2 NIV |
| hours in our week that no one is talking | | | | |
| about. | | | | Do not conform any longer to the pattern of |
| | | | this world, but be transformed by the |
| I find it truly startling that people fill | | | | renewing of your mind. Then you will be able |
| volumes talking about how to manage just over | | | | to test and approve what God's will is--his |
| 25% of our week, and completely ignore | | | | good, pleasing and perfect will. |
| another 33% of our week that is left to our | | | | |
| free time pursuits. | | | | It is not enough to sit in church on Sunday |
| | | | mornings and pledge to make God the priority |
| Most times when I count down these numbers | | | | in your life. You must go to the further |
| for people, they are dumbfounded to realize | | | | extreme. You must make a commitment in your |
| that they have more free time available to | | | | life to make God the number one priority in |
| them than they spend actually working! Work | | | | your life. And then you must follow through |
| seems such a prevalent portion of our lives | | | | on that commitment. Then and only then, will |
| that we fail to realize that we have lives | | | | you find the abilities within yourself to |
| beyond work. | | | | reach beyond what you ever thought you were |
| | | | capable of doing, to commit yourself to |
| So let me ask you a question. One third of | | | | setting priorities in your life, even outside |
| your life is devoted to non-work related | | | | of the work place, and to follow the |
| activities. What priorities have you set for | | | | commitment to your priorities with the |
| yourself during these 54 non-work hours | | | | fulfillment of your goals. |
| available each week? Okay, now let me take | | | | |
| that same question one step further. Are you | | | | If you do not have God in your life, I |
| acting on these priorities each day? If I | | | | encourage you to meet Him so that you to may |
| asked your children what priorities you have | | | | experience the joy and fulfillment of the |
| set for your own life, how would THEY | | | | renewing of your mind, as so many of us have |
| respond? | | | | experienced. If God is only in your life on |
| | | | Sunday mornings, I encourage you to reach |
| So many people recognize a need to set | | | | into your heart, past the lip service that |
| priorities on the job. Yet most of these same | | | | you are offering, and finally make the |
| people fail to place priorities on their | | | | commitment to put God as the top priority in |
| lives. Why do people recognize the need for | | | | your life. |
| one and not the other? Some would say that | | | | |
| the problem is rooted in not having God in | | | | In conclusion, I applaud each of you who make |
| their lives. But, even that falls far short | | | | the commitment to manage your time and |
| of the truth. | | | | priorities in the work place. It is my hope |
| | | | that this article has opened your eyes to the |
| Even Christians fall into this same rut. That | | | | part of your life that is bigger than work, |
| seems to cancel out the argument about a lack | | | | the 33% of your life that is spent doing |
| of God in our lives. | | | | non-work related activities. Spend them well. |
| | | | |