Managing the Time Monster with my Family

Parents,
A ton of research associated with time management emphasizes setting goals so that you know where to invest your time most. An incredible resource that will help you identify family goals in a step by step process is “The 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family.” When we know what is most important to us it helps guide the use of our time.

Here are some very practical tools to help your family move from frantic hurriedness to calm predictability:

• Learn the power of NO. We all want our children to be great, and often it’s at the expense of family time. In an effort to make our children the BEST at something, we’ll over invest our time toward that goal.
• Stop trying to do it all and determine priorities. If eating family dinners together 3 nights per week is a goal, someone may have to say no to another opportunity to assure that happens.
• Be very intentional with the time you do have. Steer clear of cruising facebook or twitter without setting some time constraints on yourself.
• Give up on the idea of perfectionism and the idea that you can do it all.
• Make sure everyone in the house is sharing responsibility, that everyone has certain jobs/tasks.
• Think ahead and plan well/organize your time

The Bible has a lot to say about our use of time. There are many verses that lead me to believe
God desperately wants us to understand how BREIF life is. Psalm 39:4-5 says,
“O Lord, make me know my end
and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting I am!
Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!

Each moment of our families’ lives are measured out, and God alone knows the number of them. We each have the ability to choose how we use the ones we have by living in the present, being very intentional with the time we do have, and loyally following through with the goals we set as a family.

Blessings,

Leah Sprague