Manage What You Can
Byron Washington, Columnist
Time Management, have you heard of it? Most people have, and most people do not do it well. The reason for this is that time management is a tricky concept. The Hoover Dam sits on the border of Nevada and Arizona and controls the flow of the Colorado River. The Three Gorges Dam in China controls the flow of the Yangtze River. These two dams “manage” the flow of each of these rivers. The dams can allow more or less water; they can stop the water and change the water flow as needed. Here is the dilemma with time management: we cannot manage time as these dams do. We cannot slow time down. We cannot speed time up. We cannot allow time to pass faster when bored and slow time down when it is an enjoyable event. Time management is almost impossible and is similar to trying to grab air with your bare hands. But we can, however, manage priorities.
Our focus should be on how we best manage our time based on our main priorities and using the time. Some people will use to-do lists. Others will block time off for specific tasks or group activities based on dependencies. I usually order my priorities based on deadlines and reorganize them based on importance.
However, In all our prioritization, there is one priority that should be are the forefront of all that we do, though it usually gets pushed to the back of the line. Our main priority should be our time with God. We will schedule and prioritize everything, and then God gets the leftovers or often gets left out. God becomes an afterthought. God is essential in a crisis, yet people tend to ignore or forget about him when all is okay, but Matthew 6:33 reminds us that we are to 33 seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
The key to time management that most of us are missing is prioritizing God. Before we get on our phones or check social media in the morning, the least we should do is talk with God. Before we post for the morning or get out of bed to start our morning routine, we should read our Bible or pray.
As we are still early in the year and people are still chasing their goals for 2023, I suggest that if you want to reach your goal, excel in that job, or see those doors open, put God first. If you prioritize God, God will add all other things to you. Think about it.
