How much time do you have? 

Notice your immediate response to this question. Did you get defensive? Maybe you have no idea how to answer. Perhaps you pictured your calendar or to-do list, and were overwhelmed by everything on it. If this is a slow season, did you feel bad or embarrassed?

Our relationship to time depends on many factors – some of which are very much in our control, and others very much not. And with so many people, ideas, and opportunities vying for our attention, it’s easy to lose track of one of our most valuable resources. 

Before we move forward, let’s take a breath. Yes, we all have a lot on our plates. But perhaps we can also admit that we could use our time more effectively – if we knew where to start.

The Time Traps We Fall Into

People experience “time poverty” – feeling like they don’t have enough time – for all sorts of reasons. You may identify yourself as busy, lazy, or somewhere in between, but you are likely experiencing one (or more) of the following time traps:

We waste time. Not all time spent is time well spent. Think of the countless minutes and hours devoted to mindless scrolling, tasks or relationships with no real value, or destructive habits. We might have a whole different life if only we could take back those choices and put them to better use.

We rush time. Just because we’re busy doesn’t mean that we’re productive. While busyness can appear to be a virtue, it can also feel like empty calories. As we juggle so many things, we get distracted and struggle to focus on the person, experience, or task at hand. We get things done, but we don’t always do them well. 

We miss time. As we try to do everything, we lose moments and opportunities which might matter the most. How many milestones, relationships, vacations, or days off get shortchanged because our attention is drawn to urgent distractions – emails, projects, people – which may or may not be important in the long run.

Benjamin Franklin sums it up well: “Do not squander time. That is the stuff life is made of.” 

None of us knows how much time we have in life. But we can take steps to make sure we make the most out of the time we have. Rather than focusing on how much busy or free time we have, perhaps we can focus on how intentional we can be by adopting this life-changing principle:

Never trade the immediate for the important.

How to Reset Your Clock

Make time (yes, you read that correctly) to do a self-inventory of how you spent your time this past week. Break it into hour or half-hour blocks, and write down how you spent each block. Categories might include: work, sleep, meals, family/relationships, exercise, spiritual practice/development, hobbies, travel, social media, etc. Note the percentage of time spent in each area.

Next, write a self-evaluation of how you spent your time, reflecting on your results. Where are you wasting, rushing, or missing time? What important things are you neglecting for the immediate?

Then, identify 2-3 specific things you would like to see change in the coming weeks. How do you plan to reinforce or change how you are spending your time? You may discover that you need to do more with your time. You may discover you need to do less. Often, it’s a trade off – rebalancing how your priorities are showing up in your calendar.

Finally, explore starting each day with prayer, asking for help focusing on the things that matter most.