Three Thoughts to Improve Time Management

April 15, 2024

If I were to choose a universal problem that all leaders wrestle with, it would be time management.

Some say we cannot manage time, we can only manage what we do with it. Regardless of how we communicate it, time and how we spend it is usually of top concern, and I believe it should be if we want to be effective, successful, and trusted stewards of the life God gave us.

One of my favorite quotes, and I wholeheartedly agree with it, is this: Nothing else, perhaps, distinguishes effective executives as much as their tender loving care of time. [Peter Drucker]

Here are some of the most difficult obstacles to overcome as it relates to how we allocate our time:

We don’t have enough time to do everything we want.
When we look at our to-do list, we get anxiety because it is so long.
We don’t know when to do which tasks.
We don’t know if we should do this or that.
We can’t say no to people.
We can’t say no to opportunities.
We can’t say no to the urgent.
We want to please everyone.
We want to do what matters but seem to be doing everything else instead.
We want to maximize our meeting effectiveness and minimize their frequency.

Here is an example of a time management decision from my life this month. Later in the month there is a big conference in Greece for medical missionaries. Our organization has a missions arm, and we do medical missions. I also go on medical missions often with other organizations, so this topic is important to me. Meeting people is important to me. Supporting our leaders who are attending this conference is important to me. But should I go? Is my personal attendance the best use of my time for stewarding my gifts to serve our mission? The answer is not straightforward for me in this. Likewise, I hope you are thinking deeply of your priorities, and not jumping on every “opportunity” that demands your time, even if it’s a trip to Greece to be around amazing people.

Managing time well may be the hardest thing we do because it requires us to discern what is important in life—and what is important changes often and is sometimes simply hard to figure out. As Christian leaders, let us go on a journey to mindfully and prayerfully grow in this area.

Let me leave you with a few thoughts for your reflection when it comes to thinking about how to spend your time.

Cultivate a rhythm of work and Sabbath, honoring God’s command to rest and find renewal in His presence. Strive for a balance between productivity and rest, recognizing that even Jesus withdrew to solitary places for prayer.