Possess your time and your energy.
This is something that is hard for me. The point is basically: try not to give into distractions. I know this post is hitting a few points again, but they’re from a different angle.
Let’s talk about e-mail, cell phones and friends…
Don’t let your inbox run you; instead you run your inbox. Don’t let your phone control you; instead you control your phone. Don’t let other people’s emergencies or whims or whatever control you.
Once you’ve plotted out your day and your time … keep your own schedule. Remember to trust yourself. It will take time and experience and re-tweaking of your schedule to learn what is important and what is not.
Let’s talk about other people’s requests for our time.
Here’s my solution: I have times in my week slotted out that if someone wants to meet with me or I’m trying to plan a meeting I have those times already set aside.
Time management doesn’t mean you’re franticly busy trying to accomplishing something all the time. It’s simply just managing your time. Or as Tom put it so well; “managing your events“.
What do you want to do today? Pray, go out to lunch with your wife, clean your office and get to bed early? O.k. Well then, don’t go shopping while you’re out to lunch. Don’t check your e-mail while you’re in the office. Don’t get in a conversation while your praying. Simply put, don’t give into the distractions.
Your schedule isn’t your identity. It’s your tool to grow into what and who you want to be and accomplish. Use your schedule as a tool, not a prison. Being accountable to your own commitments on your schedule is like a plumb line telling you how your doing in logging real time and energy into your calling, giftings and passions.
What are some distractions that you easily give into? Do you have any advice for distractions you have learned to overcome?
Technorati Tags: Cell Phones, Distractions
The other Andy said:
Some distractions for me are:
-My laptop(whenever I’m in the prayer room and I am hitting a wall I usually give up, pull out my laptop and check my email/read the latest news on cnn)
-Right now ZHOP’s temporary prayer room is located in a house that is right next to the house I live in, so I can walk out the door and be in my house in less than a minute. So again I usually make up an excuse for myself to go back home for a few minutes which usually turns into 30 mins
-Friends that are in a diffrent prayer room section than I am that want to go and hang out or go out and eat somewhere.
These are my basic distractions..although there are probably a lot more.
I’m beginning to learn to overcome my number 3 distraction, by asking myself what would be better, encountering the Lord or going out to eat. I also started to get into the mindset that this is my job and people fund me to do this and if I had a normal Job I wouldn’t be able to walk out anytime I wanted to go and eat with friends.
Posted on October 19, 2006 at 4:38 pm
John Tracy said:
(1) Updating my Podcasts… (2) Random Conversations. I’m a pastor, so often it seems like the best people time I get is “in the moment” and not scheduled, so I find it difficult to discern what is good and what is a distraction…(3) Myspace… again relationship management, not surfing. But often it sucks up so much time to write a few replies.
Thanks for the ideas… I am extremely spontaneous and often resent a structured lifestyle… but am finding it necessary to truly be “faithful”.
Posted on October 19, 2006 at 9:12 pm
Shawn said:
Time with friends and time for people is a huge distraction. I know what you mean John about those spontaneous times being some of the best. I think that is a strong reason why we need fellowship with God. So we can sense the pockets where the Lord is and move with Him. We can’t neglect the power of relationships and the necessity of the 2nd commandment to love our neighbor.
I think one way to balance relationships as a distraction is to be focused during those times. Talking about the Lord instead of football (or whatever), so that it is a productive, Godly conversation.
John - I totally agree with you about the spontaneous resentment towards structure. I’m the same way but I am also finding the need to be faithul and that I can’t float through life without structure and expect to be faithful when it’s al over.
Andy - Think of all the money on gas you’re saving right now! Suhweet!
Posted on October 20, 2006 at 9:32 am
Dave Lowe said:
Hi, My name is David. I am a young pastor and am finding that being faithful during that 8-5 is a battle. Please pray for me, thanks.
I am also learning about discipline that it is a daily battle. I fail continuously but like Paul “One thing I do: Forgeting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal.” I simply need repent and start over, praise God.
Lastly, I find that I do what is easier than what is harder. So it seems like those big projects will never get done. The little time I do put towards them is not enough and the project only grows. I feel like I don’t push through cause I can’t see the end product. Anyways just a few thoughts thanks. Dave
Posted on January 19, 2007 at 8:04 pm
Jessica said:
I live with a family who are movie fanatics. Movies trump television almost every time. I find myself distracted with this when I have come home late from working and am tired, yet need to pray. Because I can’t get rid of the T.V. or movies the way I have learned to over come this(and I’m not perfect) is to act on the prompting of the Spirit immediately. Not just in movies, but in any spare time I have. If I don’t act immediately, I find myself rationalizing my way out of my prayer time, and that’s a regretful place to be.
Posted on December 23, 2007 at 5:17 pm