Time

It is now just eight days before Christmas. Most of us are busy with holiday preparations, house cleaning, last minute gift shopping, etc. This week is one of the busiest of year because of all the extra stuff that has to get done before the holidays.

So I thought it very appropriate that I bring up a few thoughts about time and how it relates to the meaning of life. First of all, time is the one commodity that everyone is given equally. Everyone, regardless of position, age, lineage, healthy or ill; is given 24 hours each day. If you don't make effective use of it today, you will still be given 24 more hours tomorrow. However, it is one commodity that once gone, you can never get it back. So use it wisely.

How we use our time is very important. Many people are stressed in their lives because of all the things they have to do and there's not enough time to do it. Here are some questions that you can reflect on why you might be stressed.

• Do you take on too much activities and work?
  
• Do you have trouble delegating tasks to others?
  
• Do you make effective use of your time?
  
• Do you identify the activities that really make a difference?
  
• Do you know how to prioritize the difference of what is important and what is urgent?
  
• Do you let interruptions slow your progress on getting your tasks done?
• Do you procrastinate on tasks you don't like to do?
• Do you waste time because you are not organized?
  
• Do you invest your time when appropriate for future use?
• Do you not use alarms or alerts to keep you on schedule?
• Do you not use tools that can increase your efficiency?

As you can see, there are a lot of reasons why our time might be slipping away from us. Many people are not taught how to improve their use of time just like they are not taught about managing their finances. If you're looking for a resource that will help, I would start with Stephen R. Covey's book First Things First. He has a number of other books that he is famous for, but it is an excellent place to start.

Many wealthy people will tell you that time is money. So if you're not using your time properly, you will likely have trouble with your finances. There will be more on this throughout the week. Stay tuned ...

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. Ecclesiastes 3:11-13 (NIV)

If you have comments or questions, please feel free to contact me at the address below.
Email: DeltaInspire@panama-vo.com