True Confessions of a Time Management Loser
by Bill Allison

I have a confession to make. I’m a loser when it comes to traditional time management. For example, my desk is often cluttered (it is even now as I type), my email inbox is often overflowing (I started the day with 137 emails needing a response), and I'm horribly slow at returning phone calls (the phone just rang and I kept on typing--the answering machine got it--I'll get to it later).

If I were a traditional time management man, I would be ashamed to speak so honestly with you like this. But here’s another confession: I think the focus of traditional time management is way wrong for the age in which we live. Let me explain.

Traditional time management is about doing things right. Clean desks. Zero emails in your inbox. No dandelions in your yard. No phone calls left unreturned. No sentences left un….

But are those things REALLY the most important things in life?

I think not.

You could get all of those things right and miss life. You see, I believe time management at its best is NOT about doing things right—as much as it is doing the right things. I'm not against doing things right... if I have the time. But who does? So—with my limited time—I choose to focus on doing the right things.

Because I embrace a doing-the-right-things approach to life and time management, I'm usually able to eat three meals a day with my family four or five times a week. I usually jog two to three miles with my wife and son about four times a week. I'm usually able to read to my kids four or five mornings and evenings a week. I honestly don't remember the last time I missed my weekly date with my wife. I usually enjoy a fairly healthy relationship with God--because He's my first priority in life. Don't get me wrong. I'm no Billy Graham or Leave-It-to-Beaver father. And you can ask my wife about my perfection as a husband (but please don’t ask her!). But for the most part, because I have a sense of God's priorities for my life at this season, generally that which is most important is getting my time, energy, and attention.

However, it's a trade off. My yard is full of dandelions. My desk needs cleaned off. My email inbox is packed. And my home and cell phone have voice mail messages waiting for me. I’ll give these things some time and attention—but NOT at the expense of God's most important priorities for this season of my life. So for now, I'm learning to live with the tension of lesser things left undone.

But think about this with me: What's worse than a cluttered desk, not answering email, and letting the answering machine take all your calls? In my opinion, being busy cleaning your desk, emailing, and talking on the phone while God's most important priorities in your life get neglected. A house with toys strewn all over is not necessarily an indication that a person is unorganized and a poor manager of time. It could be a sign of a person who understands the difference between doing things right and doing the right things.

Are you doing things right? Or are you doing the right things?

Tell your friends about this issue!

A Special MP3 Audio Download…

To Help You Move from Doing Things Right—to Doing the Right Things
When you’re finished listening to this MP3 audio download, you’ll know and be able to apply ten biblical principles for taking control of your time… and life!

Ten Biblical Principles for Taking Control of Your Time… and Life

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Don’t Miss Your Chance for Live Training!

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A certified Cadre trainer could be bringing fun, biblical, and highly interactive training to a place very close to you…
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02/17/2007 Central, IL Area, Saturday Becoming a High Impact Teacher Date: 02/17/2007 - 02/17/2007 Location: Peoria Civic Center, 8 AM to 3 PM Tuition: $30.00 (Training materials included) For volunteer Sunday school teachers, small group leaders, and youth leaders. This workshop is a part of EQUIP. See www.equipconvention.org for info or to register. For more information, please contact equipmin@equipconvention.org

03/03/2007 Brookfield, WI, Saturday Time Management for Painfully Pooped-Out People Date: 03/03/2007 - 03/03/2007 Location: Elmbrook Church, Three mini-workshops in 70 minute sessions (Materials not included) NOTE: This is NOT the full-blown time management training workshop. The same 70 minute mini-workshop will be given three times on Saturday to different groups. For more information, please contact kberghoefer@elmbrook.org

03/17/2007 Central, IA, Saturday Equipping Students to Reach Their Friends Date: 03/17/2007 - 03/17/2007 Location: Grace Church, 8 AM to 4 PM Tuition: $20.00 (Training materials included) WWW.IGNITE-YOUTH.ORG For more information, please contact jmeyer@gracehome.com

03/24/2007 Beavercreek, OH Becoming a High Impact Teacher Date: 03/24/2007 - 03/24/2007 Location: Beavercreek Nazarene Church, 8 AM to 12 PM Tuition: $30.00 (Training materials included) Possible trainer certification session in the afternoon. For more information, please contact DSimpson@bcnaz.com

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The Doug Holliday Family Adventure
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Laura Wampach Happenings
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