Saturday Musing: I Don't Have Time!

Saturday Musing: I Don't Have Time! October 27, 2012

As I seek to manage my time better, I’ve been reminded over and over of something I’ve always known but have been reluctant to admit at times. Have you discovered this for yourselves? Here’s the secret I’ve learned: You always have more time to do worthwhile things than you think. How many times do we say, to ourselves or others, “Man I just don’t have time for x or y,” when really it wouldn’t take as much time as we think to do x or y?

For example, do you know how many chapters of the Bible you can read in half an hour? Okay, maybe Leviticus doesn’t count, but take a normal book like Proverbs or something. Maybe you tell yourself your schedule just doesn’t allow you time to be in the Word. But you could probably get through ten chapters in just fifteen minutes. Or if meditation is your goal, think what you could get out of a single chapter in fifteen minutes of undivided focus and attention.
Maybe the thought of cleaning your house daunts you. But if you pick just one small room, you could probably do what needs to be done to get it clean in less than an hour. If you don’t have even an hour to spare during the week, set it aside for a weekend. Again, you’re probably assuming it’s going to take longer than it actually does.
On the flip side, we often underestimate the time it takes to waste time. “I need a break—I’ll just watch this 45-minute episode of my favorite show. WOAH, what an awesome twist! I gotta finish the finale to see what happens… oh gosh, I guess I just spent an hour and a half there didn’t I? Well, hehe, time sure flies when you’re having fun.” Or how about this: “I’m just booping around the net to see what’s interesting in the world… Hey, I never knew that blah-blah-blah! I should find out more about that. Oooooh, this new artist sounds cool, let’s go see what else they’ve done.” And… there goes your one free afternoon of the week.
I admit this isn’t as much of a problem for people who have a serious, full-time job and maybe a family as well. You’ve got plenty of serious things to keep you busy. I guess this is geared more towards younger people like me, who are busy enough that time is valuable, but not so busy that you don’t have any time to kill. Did I hit close to home for anyone? Any other pearls of wisdom you’d like to share?


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