The Importance of Managing Your Time Well

We all know how important it is to manage our time well. If we don’t manage our time well, then we’ll find ourselves frustrated by not being able to get the important things done. 

Because I am The Planning Woman, I believe that good time management is the foundation for a peaceful and productive life.

As believers, we have some other reasons than just being able to get things done. Our lives go much deeper than that.

As I contemplated what it meant to have a firm foundation built with good time management practices, I came up with four reasons I believe it’s important to manage our time well as believers.

To honor and glorify God.

As a Christ follower, I believe that one of the gifts God has given us is time. I have personally wasted a lot of time in my life, and that saddens me. God has given us this gift of time so we can use it to do things that bring honor and glory to Him.

Ephesians 5:15-16 has this to say about time,  “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”

I love this reminder that how we spend our time is important. I looked up the meaning of the word “evil” as it is used in these verses. One of the definitions is “full of labours, annoyances, hardships.” Another definition says “pressed and harassed by labours.”

Isn’t that the truth about life? We have so many obligations and tasks pressing in on us from everywhere to the point where life can become overwhelming. If we don’t have a good system for managing all of these obligations, we will eventually crash and burn.

Another verse that comes to mind when I think about honoring and glorifying God with our time is Colossians 4:5. It says, “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.”

I had a hard time determining what “outsiders” really means in this verse.  I’m going to interpret it as people who are not believers. One way we are to bring honor and glory to God is by sharing Christ with others. And the way we do it is by being Christ-like not by being a bully. Our lives should draw others to Christ. This verse tells us that by living this way, we are making the best use of our time. So I think it’s important as we try to manage our time well to always filter everything through the question of “Does this honor and glorify God?” 

To help us live out our purpose.

One of the ways I help women through life coaching is by helping them discover their purpose for the season of life they are currently in. I guide clients through a specific study of the Bible to help them understand how God has been at work in their life, uncover the gifts and strengths God has given them, and help them learn where He wants them to go in the future.

We all have a specific purpose for our lives that is unique for each of us. And I believe this purpose can change as we go through different seasons of life. For instance, I have friends who have spent years working with kids who now spend more time teaching adults. I also know people who have been called out of the workforce to take care of an elderly parent or spouse.

In addition to our specific purposes, we also share a common purpose as believers. It is a three-fold purpose.

We are to give God glory, fulfill God’s plan, and serve others.

So how does this relate to managing our time well? When we understand our purpose, both the common purpose of glorifying God, fulfilling His plan, and serving others and the specific purpose He has on your life for your current season, then we need to make sure our time reflects living out those purposes.

We need to manage our time in such a way that we are doing things that will achieve these purposes.

To help us live out our priorities and not get distracted by the unimportant tasks of life.

This ties back to knowing our purpose and living it out as well as just dealing with the day to day stuff that comes our way.

If we’re going to live out our priorities then we need to figure out what they are. We have so many demands facing us today. If we’re not careful, we’ll let the urgent take over the important.

In order to keep ourselves from being overwhelmed by all the possibilities of things that we could do, it’s important that we learn how to determine our priorities. Our priorities will keep us moving forward on our goals and help us fulfill the purpose God has for us.

If you need help determining your priorities, click here to read more.

Does your time reflect these important things, responsibilities, and goals?

If not, it’s time to re-evaluate your schedule. It’s important that we evaluate and adjust as needed so that we can live a life that reflects our priorities.

So we can live with peace knowing we are doing what we need to be doing.

I think you’ve noticed a theme through the reasons I’ve already shared and that’s purpose. Living a life of intention and purpose leads to a life of peace.

I don’t know about you, but I strive to live in peace. I do not like it when my schedule is hectic and life seems out of control. When I am managing my time well, peace reigns in my life. I’m better able to honor and glorify God, take care of my family, and do what’s most important.

Want to hear more about these four reasons for managing our time well? Then take a listen to this episode of Live It Out with The Planning Woman.