I would like to share some insights I have learned after doing a little experiment. A few of us from my LEMI group decided to plan every 15 minutes of one week. Here's what I learned...
First of all with a family of seven I decided to give myself a break and schedule every half an hour. It just so happened that was the week my computer died. It was fried in a power outage the previous night...it's amazing how these things just happen ; ) As a result I not only saw myself clearly (loud & clear) but I was also able to come up with a solution that works for me! (Read more in Confessions of A Time Abuser).
I also learned that I waste an amazing amount of time looking for things. One night I was getting in bed and my glasses slid between the bed and my nightstand. I was too tired to pick them up. (Sound pathetic? It gets worse.) Keep in mind it would literally take me two maybe three seconds to bend over, pick them up, put them in the case and stick it in my drawer. I forgot the whole thing happened because I was sooo tired. The next morning I spent literally 45 minutes searching frantically for my glasses (which were within my grasp the entire time). I was so grumpy and put out even resorting to my usual find-it-right-away prayer didn't work. Had I minded my three seconds, I could have managed my time and state of being more efficiently.
It reminded me of when I took my children to the local fire station. The fire engine has a compartment for EVERYTHING. EVERY fireman (is fire person the politically-correct term?!) puts things back in their correct place. If a fireman is careless and puts the hatchet away in the wrong place, it could possibly cost a life in an emergency. I feel a family council comin' on...
On Thursdays my mom comes to spend time with my kids and I get to run errands by myself (yes, she is the best mom!) I struggled all week to keep my schedule and Voila! on Thursday everything worked like clockwork! What was different? No kids. I realized I need to schedule literally an extra 15 minutes just for little people needs. I found by allowing myself more time, I not only stay on schedule but I maintain relationships with the most important people in my life. When I tried to barrel through tasks in order to stay on schedule, I often sacrifice relationships which take MORE time to mend.
Last but not least, my husband shared the sun dial quote with me from Franklin Covey seminars when I was moping about the result of project I had been working on.
The shadow by my finger cast,
Divides the future from the past.
Behind its unreturning line,
The vanished hour no longer thine.
Before it lies the unknown hour,
In darkness and beyond thy power.
One hour alone is in thine hand,
The now on which the hour stands.
I was wasting time in the past. I realized living in the present is a key to managing my time.
I would love to hear how you have learned to better manage your time. Please share!
Inspire, not require. What a wonderful phrase. As I have pondered this over the years, my perspective and interpretation has changed and evolved. It has been interesting to me to note that between God and us, His children, there are some things to which we are inspired by Him, and there are other things He does truly require.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first got turned-on to A Thomas Jefferson Education, I, too began to see the true art and talent and patience it takes to inspire our children to learning. It took some time and experience to realize that there are also times and reasons that, like God, we ought to require some things as well.
For instance, God does not require us to spend our time in any particular way. He inspires us on ways with which to spend our time. He realizes there are many "musts" that just take it up. And He knows our priorities when we make time for the things that are important to Him. There are, however, other things on which He requires us to spend our time.
Following suit, one thing that has contributed to well-budgeted time for me is requiring of my children a daily and consistent quiet time. They fight it for the first while but then they learn to enjoy it as I do. It is my time to study, receive, learn and feel.
I also require certain chores or duties of my children, just as God requires me to keep certain commandments to gain certain results. This allows us to do our chores at the same time and accomplish them about the same time each morning so we can have devotional together, eat together and have our school-time.
My older children, for the first time this year, have certain "assignments" required of them per week, but they can choose how and when they do these assignments. This allows them a little guidance and to work much on their own, also allowing me to accomplish other chores or necessities with the younger children.
Other years I have endeavored to be more inspiring, but for now they see me writing in my journal, studying scriptures and other literature, and speaking with friends and family about current issues, events, health and other subjects of importance. They see me practice the piano to accompany my daughter's choir. They see their dad and I practice to sing a song in church. They watch us serve others. They watch how I cook, eat, and how I spend my time.
My hope is that the culmination of these inspirations are my inspire part of their lives, while the "require" part, which does exist for us, is what truly helps us budget our time, remain flexible and keep organized.
Thanks Shelley for sharing your thoughts and experience on time management. I love the idea of having regular quiet time--sounds beautiful.
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