Time Management for Women

Time management is really life management. Fundamentally, life management for men and women is the same. The same principles apply; the same skills are necessary. However, women differ from men in their approach to managing their lives. This statement does not apply to all women, of course. However, most women do tend to be relationship-oriented and struggle to balance time between their personal and professional pursuits. This balance is tenuous at best.

In addition to balancing their time, illusive expectations permeate women in our society. Women are encouraged to succeed in business, raise well-adjusted children and have great marriages. Even women who reject these expectations find it difficult to set their own pace because of societal expectations. Even the Christian church hails the Proverbs 31 woman as a standard, a rather nemesis for most women.

It seems success for women is rather elusive because the super woman syndrome has resulted in women striving to reach others expectations as opposed to setting their own goals. This is true even of the stay-at-home mom.

In general, our society does not encourage women to set goals. As a result, many women spend their lives living out other people’s goals, and end up feeling unfulfilled. Many women say things like ‘my days are filled with lots of activity but no meaning.’ This is usually the result of not knowing who they really are or what they really want.

This may seem rather simplistic but most women do not take the time to ask themselves what they really want apart from others expectations. It is essential to discover the perfect plan for your life. God created each of us with a plan. We are each a gift to all of mankind no matter our gender.
Everyone wants to live a more meaningful, fulfilled life. Most time management programs stress moving faster and faster. However, most people do not want to live life faster. They want to live life better. People want richer, fuller, more meaningful lives.

The meaning of our lives is tied to our contribution to society. We all want to know that we matter and that our very existence is making a positive impact on the world. This is an essential premise- that all of us are part of an ordered world ordained in time by our Creator, the Lord Jesus. This may seem like a minute point, but in order to accept the Greater One working in you must accept His ability to bring you to greatness.

Greatness is the plan the Creator has for each of our lives. Jesus Christ has a specific plan for each of us . It is within each of us because the Lord Jesus dwells in our hearts. We need only honestly ask ourselves the right questions to tap into our personal greatness. Greatness is not defined by how much money you make, nor your status in society but rather it is an awareness of the purpose for which the Lord caused you to be born in this present time.

We need only ask God what He has created us to do in the body of Christ as well as the world at large. Then we can begin the planning process. Planning is an essential step to actualizing the greatness in our lives. Planning our days can never be separate from the plan of God for our lives.

In Psalms 90:12, which is attributed to Moses, it says:
“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom…”

The Hebrew prophet Moses penned these words at a time when the children of Israel were aimlessly circling the mountain in the wilderness. It probably seemed like their days had little significance. They saw the same thing everyday. In the monotonousness of their days, I am sure they began to question whether their lives had meaning or not. They probably struggled with some of the same thoughts we face in the seemingly repetitive activity of our days.

This scripture is noteworthy because it reflects a core belief in the heart of Moses, their leader. He longed for his life and the lives of his followers to have meaning. He knew the pain of aimless wandering, for he had already spent forty years in the dessert running from the will of God. After Moses accepted the call to be the Deliverer of the Israelite people, his life took on new meaning. Moses wanted to make sure neither he, nor any of the other Israelites ever missed out on the will of God again.

He wanted to know he was doing the right thing at the right time. Wisdom is the result of time and activity simultaneously producing a desired result. Essentially, that is what we all want for our lives.
As we look at the scripture, it is noted the original word “number” in the Hebrew is derived from the word “manah” which means to allot, enumerate or to “organize.” Moses wanted to know how to organize his days to live a fulfilled life in the allotted time given him. He wanted to live out the measure of his days in activities and gratifying relationships, which God had ordained. Thus he would be fulfilled each day.

Truly, our lives are composed of our days. They are the sum total of our days. It behooves us to live each day with purpose. Like Moses we can say “teach me to organize my life so that I can know when to do the right thing at the right time.”

Moses understood that wisdom begins in the way we successfully handle our daily lives. Wisdom’s results are profound, yet it is revealed in the seeds of our daily decisions. Those who lead successful lives do so as the result of managing their days proficiently. Our daily lives should bring us closer to the realization of personal success. It all begins with a plan.

The specific plan of God for your life is within you. It can be drawn out of you like a fine sculptor can turn a lump of clay into a fabulous work of art. Only you hold your own chisel. You must find your own hidden treasure. You must find meaning and purpose for your life. It all begins with an appreciation of time.

Christians often associate planning and managing time with quenching the Holy Spirit. This cannot be further from the truth. I understand though that, we need not plan out our lives and days where we are so self-sufficient that we cannot allow God to move. Yet, we must not live our lives so irresponsibly that we cannot fulfill the plan of God for our lives. Balance is the key. We need to balance the anointing, the power of God with our ability to yield to God’s wisdom.

A friend once remarked to me that God works best in his life when he gets in over his head. This individual is a real dynamo for the Lord. He has a tremendous heart for the Lord. I noticed a pattern in his life and it holds true for all of us. First God will fill your heart with His purposes. Then after you have received His passion, you are moved to productivity by the power of His Spirit. It is our responsibility to be receptive to the Holy Spirit in the whole planning process. We need to pray like Moses that all our days will be lived in God’s purpose. This is true for men, women, children, laity and ministers.

May all your days be filled with purpose. May you organize your day so that Christ can be glorified! May the Holy Spirit guide you into all truth on a daily basis!