A guest post from Greg Ross…
Thankfully, God’s word has much to say about how we use our time!
Ephesians 5:15–17: Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Psalm 90:12: So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
There are many more scriptures that attest to the fact that stewarding our time is important to God, not to mention our own daily lives. So how does time management specifically apply to married couples?
- Two becoming one includes your time, and unfortunately that doesn’t mean we magically have 48 hours in a day (how awesome would that be?)
- When done well, it can prevent conflict.
- It sets clear priorities so you know when to say yes or no. For example, if your priorities are God, family, church, and something comes up that will take away too much family time, even if it’s a good thing with church, the answer will likely be no. But if an opportunity arises with church that your whole family can participate in together, it may be a yes. Establish your priorities as a filter with which you manage your calendar.
What are some practical methods?
- Sharing a calendar and keeping it up to date is a great first step. Hilary and I use a shared Google Calendar so we can both see EXACTLY what the other sees anywhere, anytime.
- List out what’s important and what you want to accomplish on a weekly and monthly basis. For instance,
a. How many date nights?
b. How much hospitality?
c. Where are we serving?
d. When will we rest?
e. and so on…
3. One of our failures as overly organized people is allowing time management to take the place of communication. Communicating about calendar events and schedules changes the focus from “will this fit?” to “will this serve my family?” We could share dozens of stories of “perfectly” time-managed weeks, date nights, and vacations that ultimately failed because of a lack of communication and relying too heavily on the almighty (i.e. idol) calendar.
4. Lastly, be flexible! Life happens. Kids get sick. Spouses get exhausted. Snow is in the forecast and you have to run out to buy a month’s worth of bread and milk. Don’t let your plans and schedules become a burden, and go with the flow when necessary.
