Text 5. Maximize your time

The simplest changes in your life style can mean you are more able to make the most of your physical and emotional well-being. Give yourself more time to relax. You don’t know where your time goes, do you? A few changes will help you gain extra hours. Then you can reduce stress and indulge yourself.

Firstly, keep a time-sheet diary to note what you do each day and where you are wasting time. You will be able to streamline routines and save minutes that will easily improve your day.

I heard someone say that many of us so busy that if God wanted to speak to us, He would have to leave a message on our answering machine! Being overly busy is one of the reasons I began to study my working day opportunities. I became aware that I was in the out of control race, and it was not the best choice or the pace for me. My life style might be easier, I realised.

I paid close attention to what I do with my time and abilities… I thought about why I stood busy: I had too many demands on my life. I liked to feel needed. I liked the approval I got from others. It is still hard for me to say no. I felt guilty when I was not busy. Being busy relieved me of the need to make decisions about how I spent my time. Busyness gave me a sense of control over my life.

My dilemma is deeper than shortage of time; it is the problem of priorities.

When I had evaluated, I realized uneasily that I might have failed to do the important things. And I confessed to myself that I have left undone those things that I ought to have done; and I have done those things that I ought not to have done.

I want to spend time with work, but for the sake of good rest. Physical rest is very important, but we need inner rest – the peace and refreshment in our soul. It has been wisely noted that after spiritual rest we feel strengthened, patient.

As I run my daily race, what are the red flags that let me know when I am too busy? It is unwise to think that I’m doing best by constant activity at the cost of headache and broken rest, I am getting of the opinion that what I want is a higher quality of work, then I should have entire rest.

Today typical workweek has eight-hour days. A lot of non-work time is taken up with fulfilling family and social obligations. Most of us today run in the fast line of life. We choose this line for many reasons. We must examine the great weight of constant busyness for we will have difficulty in finishing our race at the speed with which some of us are running. I had to learn to run with the rest, comfort and refreshment that might be provided.