Harnessing time to do what you love

ByKathy Thomas

What should you take time to do?-3

Notice how we talk about time—we spend time, waste time, save time, take time—all suggesting we have control over time!

Judging by the number of times I’ve heard people say, “I don’t have enough time,” it sounds like there is a universal shortage of it. How do we get more?

We have the talents and skills to make many things, but we can’t make more time. So, the real question is: “How do we use the time we have in the most fulfilling way?”

If you were given a month free of responsibilities how would you be spending your time?

Do what you love

If you were given a month free of responsibilities how would you be spending your time? Does your response inform what your priorities should be? Even amidst your busy daily activities, if you are not taking some time for doing what you love, you’re probably not a very happy camper. In fact, if you find you are slightly agitated on a daily basis, it may be a sign that something is blocking you from doing what you may only subconsciously believe you should be doing. Your values are trying to tell you something.

At this point in my life, I strongly desire to write down legacy information for the next generation to enjoy reading and to possibly learn from my life lessons. I know that if I’m not making time for writing in my weekly routine, every request of my time becomes an irritation. That all changes when I’m doing what I know I should be. Then I am much more flexible, accommodating, and joyful. What about you? What should you be making time for?

Harnessing time

While we cannot manufacture more time, there are at least a couple ways we might be able to better handle what we do have. I want to talk about two of these today: setting priorities and scheduling.

Practices reveal priorities

At the beginning of the day, my first priority is to turn to God. He is the only one who can control time—partly because he is outside the time-space continuum and mostly because he’s God! Notice what 1 Peter 3:8 says about God and time: “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” Clearly, God has time for everyone and everything! How can we tap in?

“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” 1 Peter 3:8

Ordering time

Throughout the Bible, we see God measuring things. Measurements set boundaries. For humans, time is measured by days and nights, months, years, and a lifetime. Within those boundaries, we can order our time by setting priorities—making time for what’s important. and by putting them on the calendar— taking time to do them.

Making the most of your time

Do you have tricks and strategies for making the most of your time? Do you schedule time to do the things you love? I’d like to hear them! Here are a few that work for me:

  • By rising early in the morning, I can avoid interruptions and spend time with God meditating on his Word. When I take time to make this my first priority, God seems to make up for it in other ways. For example: maybe I arrive at a solution or idea sooner rather than agonizing over it for hours. Or a client serendipitously reschedules an appointment freeing up an already packed schedule.
  • Next, I intentionally schedule doing things that I want to do. For me, it is being with grandchildren or taking time for writing or having coffee with a friend. If I have a big project I’m working on, I break it into small deadlines and try my best to meet them.
  • I make appointments with myself putting them on the calendar. I have done this with writing days. I set up a consistent day of the week to write, put it on the calendar like an appointment, and protect it from interruptions! When another invitation comes you can say, “Oh sorry, I have another appointment scheduled at that time.”
  • When up against a deadline, I used to worry myself into a migraine. Now, I use this little trick. While I’m working, I’m telling myself: “There is enough time, there is enough time.” It serves two purposes: 1. It reminds me to relax and, 2. Somehow miraculously, there is always enough time!

Living in the moment

I know that I am going to hear from my friends who are constantly reminding me to be in the moment! OK, I tend to be a planner and when something interferes with my schedule, it throws me off a little. I’m trying to be flexible! I applaud those of you who can savor every moment! Are you someone that in whatever circumstance, you find an opportunity for enjoyment and appreciation? You have something to teach me!

What are your tips and tricks for making the most of time? What are you taking time to do that you love? I want to hear from you. Leave me a comment!

Write On!
Kathy

Discover more from Write On Wisdom

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Similar Posts

  • Help for Busy Moms

    ByKathy Thomas

    You’re a busy mom, and with Mother’s Day approaching, the thought of being showered with love and appreciation may seem like a dream. As a kid, I watched a TV show called Queen for a Day. The premise was to celebrate a hardworking mother by telling her story, putting a crown on her head, and placing flowers in her arms. There would be tears and gratitude, but it was a show.

    On Sunday, many women will be enjoying attention from their families. But you might be telling yourself it doesn’t matter if no one is making a show of you.

    Friend, you are special every day. You matter to God, and he values you as his dearly loved daughter. Someone once told me, “I think there must be a special reward for women in heaven. They endure so much.” It was a man who said it! While those around you may be caught up in their own busyness and distractions to make a fuss, God sees you, and he wants you to rest in him.

    “You cannot bear your load alone. Jesus has power over the things you can’t control. Tell him your concerns and don’t mull over them. Rest in knowing he’s working in the background to restore you, resolve problems, and rearrange deadlines” (p. 182, Eve Blameless and Beloved).

    Check out more about God’s rest in my book, Eve Blameless and Beloved: Freedom from Lies That Say You’re Not Enough (available on Amazon). There, you can also find these Bible references as examples of Jesus’ tender interactions with women: Matthew 28:1-10, Luke 7:36–50, Luke 10:38–42, John 4:1–16, John 8:2–11, John 11:1–35, and John 19:26–27.

    I’m praying that you rest in quietly knowing God is with you.

    “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” 

    Matthew 11:28 (The Message)

    “Feel his grace-filled hug and walk securely in who you are and how God has made you. You are more than enough. You are God’s blameless and beloved” (p. 257).

    Blessings and Happy Mother’s Day,

    Discover more from Write On Wisdom

    Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

  • When Love Fails and Relationships Disappoint  

    ByKathy Thomas

    “People can’t be our only source of peace and consolation; we need a comforter who will never fail. We’re blessed with a savior who sticks with us through the most difficult circumstances. He’s not hidden or unapproachable. As our perfect father, lover, and friend, he remains by our side forever” (from my book, Eve Blameless and Beloved: Freedom from Lies That Say You’re Not Enough).

    Years ago, during a particularly difficult season in my life, my husband had to leave on a business trip. I pleaded with him to stay, but he said it was necessary. A part of me felt abandoned, and my heart broke a little. But in that moment, Jesus gently reminded me: I am with you. I will never leave you. That truth wrapped around me like a warm embrace. (And just so you know—I’m not throwing my husband under the bus! We’ve since shared many wonderful years together.)  

    As Valentine’s Day approaches, while some look forward to flowers and chocolate, others may be feeling the ache of disappointment and loss. If that’s you, take heart. The love you long for—the one that never fails—is already yours.  

    One of my favorite verses was spoken to nation, but taken personally, it reminds us of God’s faithfulness:  

    “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.  He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you,  but will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17 NIV).

    I’ve always imagined that being serenaded would be the height of romance. This verse tells us that God himself sings over us. Can you picture that? The Creator of the universe delighting in you, his voice lifted in a song of love?  

    If you’re still waiting for a knight in shining armor to rescue you, remember—your Mighty Warrior has already come. He is with you. He loves you. And he will never leave your side.

    Embrace Him! 

    Have a blessed Valentine’s Day.

    Kathy

    Discover more from Write On Wisdom

    Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

  • Need Help Making Year’s Resolutions Last?

    ByKathy Thomas

    Each January, I feel sad removing ornaments from our Christmas tree. Since each one holds meaning, it’s hard to pack them away for another year. So, to cheer myself up, I think of new beginnings for the year ahead.

    Are you starting the new year hoping to break a habit or start a healthy new one? 

    As you know, it’s hard to keep those resolutions for more than two weeks. Like many people, I struggle to follow through because I want behavior change without the work, or I struggle in my own strength instead of asking God’s help to take charge. 

    Want to make lasting change?

    You can make a fresh start no matter your situation, season of life, or past missteps. When you surrender your weaknesses to God, he lavishes you with his love and equips you with his power. It’s never too late to start anew. Chapter eleven of my book, Eve Blameless and Beloved, examines new beginnings. After the tragedy of Cain killing Abel, Adam and Eve needed hope. They anticipated a new future with the birth of Seth, who would be an ancestor in Jesus’s human lineage.

    Habit changes begin with heart changes. This new year, if you’re looking for deep change or a significant life transformation, don’t strive to change your behavior; ask Jesus to change your heart. Transformation flows out of a renewed heart.

    Jesus is our only hope. Meditate on this biblical promise: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV). Pray for the change you’d like to establish, claim you are loved by Christ, and ask God to renew your old, tired, stressed life with freedom from lies that say you’re not enough so you can pursue all you’re meant to do.

    Give it to God and get an accountability partner.

    Grab an accountability partner to improve your chances of keeping your New Year’s resolutions. I’d love for you to get my book, grab a friend, head to page 262 for discussion questions, and seek God’s truth regarding your identity: You are God’s blameless and beloved creation.

    I’m offering January discounts on Eve Blameless and Beloved: Freedom from Lies That Say You’re Not Enough to encourage you on your new beginnings. Click here and use the code NEWYEAR to purchase a discounted book for yourself and one for a friend. 

    By Kathy Thomas, author of Eve Blameless and Beloved: Freedom from Lies That Say You’re Not Enough.

    Discover more from Write On Wisdom

    Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

  • |

    Too Many Bosses? Three Questions to Ask Yourself

    ByKathy Thomas

    “I feel like running away!” my neighbor exclaimed when I caught up with her after work one day. She added in exasperation, “I can’t do it all.”

    Do you feel like hiding from the expectations weighing on you? Maybe your boss has just asked you to work overtime. Now you must arrange pick up for the kids and cancel a social event this evening. Meanwhile, an urgent request sits unanswered in your inbox, and a voicemail from a needy friend pops up in your notifications. Where do you draw the line?

    Your packed calendar signals there’s no relief in sight.

    Do you serve too many bosses? Asking yourself these questions might help you find peace.

    1. Principals—Who’s the Boss? 

    Whether you serve one principal boss or answer to an entire chain of command, it’s impossible to satisfy everyone and worse if they contradict one another. Adding to their demands are the loud expectations of our culture. We subconsciously serve the most demanding voices, so we stifle our deep desires and do our duty.

    I recently noticed that at every request for my time, I felt angry. I acted grumpy even toward the grandkids. Upon analysis, I discovered the expectations prevented me from spending time on a personal writing project. Are you frustrated? Maybe something has blocked your heart’s desire. 

    Consider the obligations begging your attention. Evaluate which voices need to be heeded. Then commit to what is important to you. This necessitates prioritizing your values.

    2. Priorities—Where to Focus?

    Consider the obligations begging your attention. Evaluate which voices need a response. Determine which commitments align with your values, and then commit to doing what is important to you. 

    Do you find time to satisfy the desires of your heart? Look at your time use. Does it reflect your priorities? It may not be a time problem but a priority problem. 

    If you feel overworked, you might ask your boss to prioritize your projects. Follow their directive and in that way, the responsibility falls back on them.

    When making a major time commitment, I find it helpful to ask myself, “What roles do I serve that no one else can?” A wife to my husband. A mother to my children. Primary earner. Reorder your priorities to reflect your most important roles and spend quality time on those.

    If you could reorder your priorities, what would be your ideal? What would bring you the most peace?

    3. Peace—What is Your Why?

    You may have a ready answer for why you do what you do—“I work because I need the money.” “I work overtime because if I didn’t, I’d lose my job.” “I work to provide my children the best educational opportunities.” “I serve my church because no one else is stepping up.”

    Someone showed me how to drill down to find my “why.” For each expectation that demands your attention, continue to ask why. For example: “I work because I need the money.” Why? “Because my husband’s income isn’t enough.” Why? “Truth is, we’re in debt.” Why? “We need to handle our money more wisely.” 

    In this case, the solution might be handling money better, not earning additional income. Alternatively, you might say, “I work because I enjoy it.” Ask why to discover new things about your desires. Then determine how to satisfy those deeper needs rather than reacting to outside demands.

    Make God your boss

    Serve One Boss

    Make God your boss. It takes resolve and determination to follow Jesus. Your circumstances may or may not dramatically change, and your work boss will likely still ask you to work overtime, but you will be better prepared to give an answer true to your heart.

    Discover more from Write On Wisdom

    Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

  • Three tips for finding time to write

    ByKathy Thomas

    Is finding time to write your biggest obstacle to writing regular blogs, finishing that novel, or getting started on the title you have in mind? Have you announced you are going to write a book and are now embarrassed by your lack of progress? Here are some tips to try.

    It happens to everybody
    OK, I’m embarrassed too. Interesting that I should be writing on this topic when it’s been weeks since I wrote my last blog! First of all I’d say to both of us, “Get over it.” Let’s not allow our past performance to paralyze our future. Let’s make progress.

    I could use the excuse that I was improving my craft. Recently, I attended the Florida Christian Writers Conference. It was a great experience, and I met a lot of wonderful people who were generous in sharing their knowledge. If you get a chance, you should attend a writer’s conference near you or not near you! It will fire up your creative juices or just give you a kick in the pants, which is what I need from time to time. After forgiving yourself for not writing, take a look at your schedule to see if it reflects your priorities.

    Tip #1. Schedule according to priorities

    What your schedule tells about your priorities
    Consider your activities of the past week. Did you find time to write? If not, discover what consumes your time. For the next week, keep a log of how you spend your time. Note what activities took priority. Maybe these are more important than writing right now. Or maybe you might discover you are not doing what you want to do at all. You are in reactionary mode.

    What your emotions tell about your priorities
    If your story is like a fire shut up in your bones and finding time to write seems impossible, you may notice you are a little grumpier than normal. If requests for your time leave you feeling resentful or even a little angry, it may be an unconscious reaction to your goals being blocked. Examine your heart and determine what you are longing to do. Then make it a priority on your schedule and guard it from interruptions. Be intentional.

    Tip #2. Schedule writing zones

    How do you find time in a busy schedule?
    I’ll say it again, it’s about priorities—making time to do the things you love. It’s interesting all the ways we describe time as if we really had control of it: spend time, waste time, save time, take time. We can’t really make more time, but we can plan what to do with it.

    Mark your calendar
    Go back to your schedule. Take a typical week or month and block out three different time zones—maybe use colored highlighters. First, cross out all the regularly scheduled activities that you can’t change like your time at work, church, or regularly-scheduled meetings—indicate these as your “no” zones. Next, highlight activities that you have control over. Some of these you can choose not to do or do at another time of the day or month. Label these as your “maybe” zones and use them for writing every chance you get. Finally, look at what is discretionary time—your unplanned time—this is your “go” zones. Put these on your calendar as writing appointments with yourself that you cannot break.

    Tip #3. Write at your optimal time

    If you have the luxury, arrange your schedule so that you write when you are most creative. If you are a morning person, get up earlier or see if you can adjust your schedule such as moving your gym time to after work. If you are a night owl who comes to life after 8:00 pm, resist the urge to turn on the TV, surf the internet, or check Facebook. I suggest you use your less creative times for editing and rewriting. I think you get the idea.

    Your turn
    Please use the comments section to share what works best for you!
    Write on!

    Kathy

    Discover more from Write On Wisdom

    Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

  • Writer’s Block Buster

    ByKathy Thomas
    My last blog addressed the importance of establishing momentum to keep your writing flowing. Momentum isn’t something that can be conjured up. It comes from diligently practicing good writing habits. This is the first in a series of writer’s-block buster habits designed to get you unstuck, on track, and in the flow!

    Know your reason for writing

    No doubt, you have heard people say it’s important to know your “why” for writing. Likely they mean determining whether you are writing for personal expression or writing for market trends. In this Writer’s Block Buster, I’m suggesting that our “why” goes deeper than we think. I’m talking about searching your heart to understand what inspires you to write, because knowing this will likely keep you motivated to write.

    Know what inspires you to write

    Recently, I was introduced to the book, Find Your Why: A practical guide for discovering purpose for you and your team, by Simon Sinek with David Mead and Peter Docker (New York, NY: Penguin Random House, LLC, 2017). While this book isn’t about writing, I think completing the seemingly simple exercise of writing your WHY STATEMENT may help you explore your purpose, and as a result, your motivations. It goes like this: TO________________SO THAT_____________. In the first blank, write your contribution to the lives of others and in the second blank, write the impact that contribution makes. Try it—it’s harder than you think! Maybe you will start with multiple statements until you see a repeating theme that will help you hone it to a single one. Face it, it’s unlikely we will write a bestseller that will make enough money to support us for the rest of our lives. So why write? Maybe you write because you take pleasure in it or hope that in the reading of it, someone’s life might be a least briefly changed for the better. Try to articulate your motivation by writing a WHY STATEMENT for your reader. Maybe something like this: Because of your message, what do you want your reader to do that contributes in a positive way to their own life or someone else’s? By the way, it doesn’t have to be nonfiction or a self-help message to do that! Even fiction may transport someone to a place that, at least temporarily, delights or excites them. Being convinced your reason for writing is important should be a big motivator! Also in considering your why, identify your target audience how you want to appeal to them: to uplift, educate, inform, or entertain. Maybe your reason is more personal: to express your thoughts or creativity, or leave a historical record for someone to discover in the future. Determine your writing is important and necessary and just write, write, write!

    Ask: For whose glory do I write?

    Sometimes we fantasize about our book being published and becoming a recognized author and sought-after speaker—to be known. Maybe even to be in the spotlight. There are many valid reasons for writing, but it is most satisfying for me is when the underlying motivation is for the glory of God. I have noticed that as humans, we seek to answer three basic questions about ourselves: (1) Am I significant? (2) Does my life matter? and (3) Where do I belong? The Bible tells us that (1) we are significant to God and he loves as his very own child, (2) we have a purpose in life that is part of his plan, and that as people of faith, (3) we are part of God’s family and heirs to his kingdom. I find answering these questions from a biblical perspective is empowering. Children of God But sometimes our egos get in the way and we are tempted to want our names to be great rather than God’s. We seek to answer these questions in selfish ways. The answers might look like this: (1) our significance comes from popularity, power, or wealth, (2) our purpose is guided by self-recognition or perhaps greed, and (3) we belong to groups that are popular or powerful in order to give us identity. I suggest that when you find your true answers to these questions, you will find your why. I am always surprised that when I seek to first bring God glory, he shows up to inspire my writing!

    Make it a habit!

    Whatever your reason for writing, be absolutely convinced of your why and it’s impact. Make it a habit of continually reminding yourself of the importance of your writing. Then just do it and don’t be discouraged! Write On! Kathy

    Discover more from Write On Wisdom

    Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply