“If we center our lives on correct principles and create a balanced focus between doing and increasing our ability to do, we become empowered in creating effective useful, and peaceful lives.”– Steven Covey, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
With a new year and a new semester upon us I have been taking a few steps to make my schedule work for me. I’m glad that today is a Friday so I could spend a little time thinking and preparing for the first full week of the new year. I have mapped out my week and look forward to seeing how everything fits together. It is my hope that this new schedule will help me be better- a better disciple, husband, minister, friend, and parent-to-be.
Last semester I was stretched a little thin. The problem wasn’t the load but the schedule. I was out three nights in a row- Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday- with ministry related events. No bueno. This semester I am changing my day off to Thursday and I am only involved in ministry related events on two nights in a row- Tuesday and Wednesday nights. I know what I need to get done each week, how to do it, and when it needs to be finished.
Proactive scheduling is my attempt to be my best in every area of my life. I try and schedule my time the way I drive my car.
When I drive my car I don’t stare at the hood or just in front of my vehicle. That’s too often how we schedule our lives. We focus on the most pressing issue or we only have enough energy for the thing right in front of us. This leads to emergencies, pile-ups, accidents, and dented backends!
When I head out in my car I keep my eyes on the road ahead. I note the traffic, I stay a few moves a head of my directions (No GPS for me- I want to know ahead of time where I’m going. Turn by turn doesn’t do it for me), I observe any road closed signs, and I anticipate the gridlock or an accident. There are too many things to do or get done to be blindsided by a foreseeable incident.
Sure there are things that come up that I can’t anticipate and emergencies I could never account for. I forget things and miss things at times. I get interrupted with real emergencies and with time bandits. That’s ok.
I believe being proactive accounts for the unseen. It allows for breathing room because I am not overloaded with the tyranny of the urgent. This allows me to be fully present when an emergency occurs. It also gives me a sense of peace and clarity and energy to engage an interruption because I know that I’ve done the legwork and that I’ve been faithful to the process of preparation.
How do you schedule your time? What out of control areas of your life could benefit from a few moments of focus and proactive engagement?
