First Things First..

Good Priorities: The Key to Time Management

When it comes to priorities, we each have our own set. Without clearly defined priorities, we will find ourselves saying "Yes" to everything. Burnout and over-commitment are the guaranteed results.  My set of priorities comes from my personal understanding of God's word. For me, the scriptures clearly say, "Let the wives love their husbands, love their children, be good, pure, keepers at home..that the word of God be not maligned (given a bad name)."

My priorities, as I have always understood them to be, are the Lord first, my husband,  my children, my neighbors, my church and me too, of course!

What does this look like on a daily basis? Well, you can check my sidebar to see how it looks for me. I put it on my side bar so that I wouldn't forget that the blog comes at the end of the priority list..not at the beginning! 

The key to time management is to do the important things first and then let the other things fill in the gaps. But if you don't know what those important things are, how are you going to decide what should be first? If the day goes awry by 2pm, who cares..as long as hubby is happy, the laundry, dishes, and supper have been given their fair share of attention, and the kids have been helped with their various needs and academic pursuits.

What are our Priorities?

Spiritual Health brings Mental Health

If I don't have devotions, the very FIRST result, is misplaced priorities. Time management is a joke at that point. When we get our hearts focused on the Lord first, He fills the very deepest needs of our soul, affirming His unconditional acceptance of us. We don't need kudos near as much, and can then be free to serve those we have been appointed to serve for HIS sake, as a love offering to him. We can trust the Lord to give us time for our projects (as privileges) at the end of the day. If the time isn't there, it wasn't meant to be done that day.

Just as important, we will have His grace to trust that He will care for us, no matter what difficulties may come--and they will come--that's real life. We will have the grace to respond lovingly to the weaknesses or bad attitudes of family members who may be having a rough day too. The key word, is responding rather than reacting. When I have an eternal perspective, I'm much more likely to respond. Reactions and conflict, are the natural result of a mind focused on things that don't matter in the long run. And talk about a waste of time! Not all conflicts are waste of time, though. They can be the catalyst for better understanding of the needs of those around us. But those conflicts can be handled much better when you are remembering not to 'return evil for evil, but rather give a blessing instead".


Do you have difficulties with attitudes when you get too busy for quiet time?