Try all we want, no one has cracked the code of getting more time on this side of heaven. Even with trendy crops of futurists throwing money to the wind, the average life span is roughly 78 years. While much improved from 35 years in the 1700’s, it’s still a far cry from the biblical Methuselah who had 969 years to leave a lasting legacy. Birth has even been compared to the beginning of death. A bit morbid, but true. With such a short supply of time for all of us, it’s more important than ever we make our time count. Here are some big ideas to help each of us treat time like the valuable asset it is.

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Where Our Treasure is, There Our Heart is Also

Have you ever wondered where the time goes?

You’re not alone.

Time escapes all of us in subtle and not-so-subtle ways.

Unlike money, which we can make more of (usually by giving up our time), or our health (which sometimes we can recover or improve), time is unique in that it’s spent forever as the seconds and years tick by.

And it sure doesn’t help that we don’t know truly how much time we have on this side of heaven.

With time as our most valuable asset, it’s important than how we use it.

But…how do we use it? And what exactly are we using it on?

Taking Inventory of How We Spend Our Time

Let me be really, really clear.

Time doesn’t just slip away.

Time passes, as we all know it does, second by second, continually. This is not a surprise.

What does surprise us is how we used our time.

We start watching a movie and are surprised when we realize it’s 1:00 AM and we need to get ready for work in mere hours.

We rush around the house to do one more little chore and are surprised when we leave later than we hoped.

We fill our lives with work and hobbies and commitments and are surprised that we weren’t nearly as present with our loved ones as we hoped.

The reality is we are careless with our time.

We simply let it vanish, second by second, continually.

But no longer.

It’s time to stop and take inventory of how we use our time.

Make a simple grid like the below table and be honest. Being vague or flat out wrong about our time is one mistake no one can afford to make. I’ve provided some of my day to get your creative juices flowing:

You get the idea but notice two things:

1. There are no time gaps.
2. How I spent my time indicates what I valued from 5:00 AM until 12:00 PM.

Take inventory of your day TODAY. Then, commit to doing it every day for 1 week. You will be SHOCKED to see how every one of your seconds gets used.

Once you have a good inventory, really take a look at it. Digest it. Consider how someone else would view your priorities in life based off how you spend your time.

As you become familiar with taking inventory, you can become more general or more specific. If you’d like to increase productivity at work, break down your time into 10-15 minute increments so you can identify potential time wasters like water cooler talk or unnecessary meetings.

If you just want big ideas, focus on 30-60 minute increments in order to see if your time is focused on you, others, or situations.

Taking time inventory is like making a cake. Sure, there is a recipe, but change it to make the cake that tastes best to you.

Doing Less is Often Doing More

Too many of us are hamsters on a wheel.

We run as fast and as far as we can, rhetorically speaking, and then wonder why we feel burned out, exhausted, and unsatisfied.

When it comes to using our time wisely, doing less often results in doing more. But the more that we end up doing simply means our focus and effort is maximized.

Have you ever been at the beach relaxing but you check your phone every so often to see if you got a work email?

Sure, it’s only a quick glance but then you get one. It’s high priority. You read it. It’s important. Almost as important as being with your family at the beach. You don’t want to deal with it. But you do. It just needs a quick reply. Nothing big.

You think of something helpful to write back, and blast it off. A smile returns to your face as you can not re-focus on the wonderful day at the beach.

Only, it’s not so wonderful anymore.

Your family is staring at you, wondering why you couldn’t give them and yourself just a short, focused break.

There are many situations just like that we find ourselves in. We are trying to do too much!

And the only antidote to a busy life where time slips away, is saying NO to things. Sometimes we have to say no to good things. Sometimes we have to say no to great things.

But most importantly, we need to be present with what we say yes to.

We must learn to focus on fewer things and make those things wonderful.

Being Intentional and Having a Plan

But what exactly should we be focusing on?

That takes intentionality and a plan.

Me and you are the same in many ways. Most ways probably.

We are different in a few though, so your intentional time plan should look different than mine.

For me, my top priorities are: 1) Maturing as a believer in Jesus Christ, 2) Loving my wife and children well, 3) Doing good work, and 4) Being helpful and present with friends.

Regardless of what your top priorities are, our time inventories should reflect our priorities.

If I look at my day and find only 1 hour of 24 is spent with my kids…am I achieving what I want to achieve?

Or if honoring God is top priority but my time inventory only shows 5 minutes on my spiritual growth, am I deceiving myself?

These are the types of questions we need to ask ourselves. We must be brutally honest if we have any hope of using our time wisely.

Only then can we re-prioritize our time and carve out minutes or hours for the things we truly love most.

Oh yeah, and just a little side note…there will always be distractions and things competing for your attention.

Life isn’t a pursuit of no distraction…it’s a pursuit of choosing what to focus on and when.

Viewing Time Like Money that We’ll Never Get Back

Oddly enough, time is like money.

While we can’t make more of it, we do spend it.

The transaction isn’t just physical though. We trade our time for something.

It could be an experience, a deepening relationship, career growth, happy kids, etc.

Transactions of time are far more complex than money changing hands for products or services.

Spent time can have generational impacts and affect the peace and happiness of us and everyone around us.

How we spend it is critical and can never be a flippant decision.

For example, if you want to spend your time relaxing in a bubble bath…good! But make that time count. Enjoy it. Be in it. Rest in it. Let that time be recovery for your soul, renewing you and invigorating you.

Don’t waste it worrying about something else or feeling guilty about how you should be spending your time elsewhere. If you do, then it becomes wasted time.

Recognize, or at the Very Least Consider, There is a Life After This One

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Whether you believe the above or not, we should all seek to excel in the art of considering possibilities.

One such possibility, a very big one at that, is life after death.

For me, I believe it’s as described in the Bible.

How we spend our moments in this life matter a great deal. And we cannot get them back no matter what.

But for those who call on the name of Jesus for salvation, there is a life after death.

If you believe that, great.

If you don’t, I implore you to add some time into your day to explore the possibility. Be sure you have at least given it the consideration it deserves.

We can all improve in our ability to use our time wisely to make wise decisions, prioritize things that matter most to us, and spend our time in ways we can be proud of.

If you feel more focused about how you spend your time, consider doing these 3 things:

1. Leave a comment below and tell me where you want more of your time to go or what’s holding you back from being more intentional with your time.
2. Subscribe to my newsletter so you get more content just like this delivered right to you. I hate spam more than you do (if you can believe it!) so I’ve made my newsletter a 1-click unsubscribe at any time you change your mind. It costs you nothing to be encouraged and well-informed.
3. Share this message with your social network, friends, or family. All of us can become aware of how we spend the precious moments we can’t get back.

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