New Year Time Savers and Strategies

This note was uploaded to Facebook via the author's blog.

In the new year many of us will focus on ways to save time and make better use of our time. How we manage our time is actually an issue of stewardship and is so very important in our fast paced world. Mr. Wesley certainly had some things to say about time management for the people called Methodists and especially for clergy. What I offer is nothing new, nothing earth shattering, just some things I have picked up on along the way that have helped me.

One strategy to make better use of our time is to use the "to do" list. This is a simple list of tasks that need to be done that day, that week, that month. I actually keep two "to do" lists- one long term and one that is daily.

The thing about "to do" lists is if you are not careful they can become overwhelming. You look at all you have to do and say "ugh!" and become paralyzed into inaction. I have found it most helpful to prioritize the "to do" list into the things that absolutely must get done, those things I would like to get done, and those things that I will do if I have extra time. Inevitable, there will be divine interruptions but one way to honor God and make use of the precious time he gives to us is to be organized about our time. One way to do that is through the "to do" list. After all, God is a God of order, not chaos.