Tips for Making Better Use of the Time God Has Given You

Time is precious, and — let’s be honest — most of us would like to do more things than a full day allows.

So we have to make choices: Should I read a book or watch TV before bed? Should I relax at home or visit a friend on Saturday?

On the one hand, you should plan your day rather than let it slip by. On the other, you shouldn’t overplan it and leave no room for spontaneity.

Here are some tips for planning a fruitful day. Note: They don’t fully apply to everyone, as each person’s interests and temperament play a role in the decision-making process.

Start with what’s most important.
Often, your vocation reveals your priorities. If you’re married, your chief focus should be on your family members. Coming second is the work you do to support them (either by earning money or homemaking). If you’re a parish priest, your parishioners’ spiritual welfare comes first.

Of course, all vocations should prioritize prayer, although not in the same way. A busy mother of six needs to pray each day, but obviously can’t spend as much time on that as a hermit. In fact, some saints chide laypeople for trying to act too much like religious, to the detriment of the daily work God calls them to do.

In general, it’s better to focus on people rather than tasks.
God made us to live in communion with other people, reflecting how He Himself is a communion of Persons.

We’re here to love and serve God and neighbor. Everything else is secondary. We should plan our days with this in mind. If you thrive by completing daily to-do lists, you could intentionally maintain some flexibility in case someone needs your presence, even if it’s just for a few minutes.

Does this mean you need to give in to everyone who demands your time? No. You’re not meant to be there for everyone 24/7.

Start by planning one day, then go bigger.
If you decide to get up at 5:15 a.m. every day, great! But now you need to figure out when to go to bed, so you don’t stay up too late. And then you’ll notice the need to plan larger blocks of time — weeks and months — to help you accomplish your goals and necessary tasks.

Break large tasks into smaller pieces.
The prospect of a huge task — such as writing a book or remodeling a house — can cause anxiety. It’s usually better to carve out a part of each day to work on the project rather than binge everything at once. That will help keep your emotions in check and make the project more manageable.

Don’t ignore free chunks of time that appear in your day.
Sometimes you’ll discover that you have an unexpected half hour of free time. Too often, people tell themselves that it isn’t enough to do anything worthwhile. Wrong!

You could read a few more pages of that book you’re struggling to finish, say a prayer, or take a walk

Plan small breaks.
You don’t want to fill every day with activities that tire your body and soul if you can help it. Take short breaks to refresh yourself. God doesn’t intend for us to work all our waking hours. We need rest and leisure to have a balanced life.

Try these tips but don’t feel overwhelmed if you can’t apply them all at once. Often, we have to make life changes little by little. Start with a couple and, if they work, apply the rest.