As I’ve been reading “Slow Productivity” by Cal Newport, something jumped out to me…
Most of our time-management problems are of our own making.
We can blame bosses, clients, the economy, our families, and a plethora of other entities, but the reality is that we have more control over our schedules than we think.
Unless you work in a job that gives you zero flexibility when you’re on the clock, you can control your schedule better than you’re probably doing..
Sure, we all have commitments, but most of us overschedule ourselves only to regret it later.
Over the years, I’ve planned out annual calendars that looked good on paper but became a nightmare because I didn’t account for unexpected meetings, projects, or vital commitments being added.
I’m certainly not an expert in this area. I’m still a work in progress.
But my point is that too many of us look outside of ourselves to blame someone or something else for our overly busy lives when we actually have more control than we admit.
It’s a fairly recent phenomenon that humans are scheduling themselves so poorly.
For centuries, people worked more seasonally and at a slower pace out of necessity due to the way the world operated.
This didn’t diminish their impact, but it certainly lowered stress levels.
Technology was supposed to ease our schedules and give us more margin to enjoy life, but the reverse has occurred.
Now, we try to cram more into our schedules in the margins that time-saving technology created.
As we enter this new AI era with tasks being done at rapid speeds, we need to be careful not to cram more and more into our calendars.
Use the tools available to you, but don’t just keep stuffing your schedule with “more” because you can.
We’re human “beings,” not human “doings.”
We’re not meant to be 24/7 productivity machines. That’s not how God designed us to operate.
We need rest.
We need recovery.
We need time with the people we value most.
But experiencing these things requires personal discipline to protect our schedules and map out our calendars wisely and strategically.
This will feel countercultural because it is!
But just because everyone else is operating at a breakneck pace doesn’t mean you should or that it’s healthy.
Choose to maximize your time with greater wisdom and more margin rather than jamming yourself up without any breathing room.
Until next time, make today GREAT!
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- The Way to Greatness book – Discover the five continual choices that lead to The GREAT Life and how to implement them immediately.
- The GREAT Life Bootcamp video course – In this self-paced course, I’ll guide you to learn how to experience the life you were created to live by improving your faith, relationships, mindset, stewardship, and time management. (Enter coupon code “MM50” at checkout to receive a subscriber-only 50% discount!)
