Time Management

Time Management

“Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.”
-William Penn

^“So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.”
-Ephesians 5:15-17

By Amy Parham

How many times have you said to yourself, “I don’t have time to exercise” or “I don’t have time to cook all my meals” or “I just don’t have time…period.”  I hear these statements all the time.  I even used to say these things myself.  But everyone has the same twenty-four hours in a day.  I have twenty-four hours in a day.  You have twenty-four hours in a day.  The president of the United States has twenty-four hours in a day.  No one has more time than anyone else.  The amount of time we have isn’t the issue; it’s how we use our time.

We spend so much time on things that aren’t producing any positive results in our lives.  I used to send hours every night watching television.  My life revolved around the nightly TV schedule and what I was going to eat while watching.  I wasted hours of my life that could have been spent productively.  I could have been exercising during that time or getting the right amount of sleep or reading books on health.

Think about your own life.  How are you spending the twenty-four hours each day God has given you?  I read that the average American watches four hours of TV a day.  Four hours is a lot of time that could be used to do things that are life-giving or life-changing, not just sitting in front of a screen being entertained.  Maybe you spend your time doing other things that aren’t productive, such as surfing the web, shopping, reading tabloid magazines, or chatting on the phone.  Be honest with yourself about how much time you spend doing things that only waste time.

Have you ever had a friend call you up at the last minute and invite you to come to their vacation home for the weekend?  Isn’t it amazing how quickly we can rearrange our schedules, get the dog taken care of, pack a suitcase for every member of the family, straighten up the house, gas up the car, and hit the road because it’s an invitation to do something fun?

Well, guess what?  I have a ticket to a new life waiting for you.  You just have to rearrange your schedule a little and make a few changes.  How badly do you want to make the change?  How badly do you want to be in better shape?  How badly do you want better health?  Make time by eliminating the things you know you don’t need to be doing.  Use your day wisely.

Mini-Challenge of the Day

Keep track of your time today.  From the minute you wake up to the time you go to bed, write down everything you do and how long it takes.  At the end of the day, review what you have written down and see where you can make some changes.  Notice where you are wasting time and make a commitment to stop doing those things.

Tip of the Day

Take containers of flavored yogurt and put them in the freezer.  Frozen yogurt is a delicious and healthy substitute for ice cream.

Until tomorrow, be blessed!

Remember to DREAM!

Taken from “The 90-Fitness Challenge” by Phil and Amy Parham, former contestants on television’s “The Biggest Loser.”