Father Time is a villain. He gets blamed for everything – even our own poor time management skills. The reason we can’t seem to get done half the things that we want or even need to do, I just don’t have enough time. But is that the truth? I do understand that time is fleeting. Truly, I do. It seems like last week, my daughter was starting her first day of kindergarten, and now she is finishing up her first year of junior high. How is that possible? That cruel villain, time.
While Father Time can’t be mastered—we only get so much—we can manage him better. Here are five time management skills for all you busy dads.
Make Plans
Whether you keep a detailed calendar of your day or like to make “to-do” lists, having a plan of action will help you make better use of your time. Benjamin Franklin famously said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!” Keep in mind that guy invented bifocals, co-authored the Declaration of Independence, played a vital role in the field of electricity, and was also one of our country’s founding fathers. How did he manage to do all of that with the same number of hours in a day as you and I, you ask? He had a plan.
Say “NO”
Because life and time are both short, we have tendencies to try and do everything. But it’s just not possible. We simply can’t do everything. You can’t go out for that round of golf after work and help your kids with their homework and spend quality time with your wife and get a good night’s rest and…and …and. We have to make choices. We have to learn the skill of saying “no.”
Your boss, your friends, and even your church will sometimes ask you to do things you need to decline. But how do you know what to say no to and when to say it? Great question. The answer is found in the next skill.
Prioritize
Some tasks you have are important and if you have good time management skills, you’ll know how to stack that to-do list. Many things are urgent. Even so, some are urgent and important. You need to prioritize the most pressing matters above the less pressing ones. Sometimes we get distracted doing things that can wait and end up missing out on things that are urgent. For example, answering an email at the dinner table may seem essential at the time. But when your kids no longer live in your house (all that time is gone), you’d pay any price to have them gathered back around your table on a nightly basis.
Just a side note on time management, you get to determine your priorities. You have a say in what is urgent and what isn’t. Talk to God about this. Ask Him to help you set your priorities in the proper order.
Don’t Multitask
Despite the massive effort we put into doing multiple things at the same time thinking we’re getting more done in less time, it rarely works out that way. Studies have shown that when it comes to important matters, it’s best to focus your attention on one thing, do it well, then move on to the next task. So even if reading the paper and sending a text while driving to work seems like a good idea, it’s not. Pick one. You hear that blue Ford F150 that gets in front of me on the highway? Pick ONE!
Take Breaks
This may sound counterproductive when trying to juggle a busy schedule, but it can actually make you more productive. It will help with your concentration and get you reenergized when your battery is running low.
The Time You Have is Yours
You get to determine what you do with that time. But keep in mind, the LORD has given you a limited amount of it on this earth. Spend it wisely.
