Time Management and What I Do

Have you read Psalm 39:4-5 lately?  If not, take a moment and read it below:

Psalm 39:4-5 (HCSB) “Lord, reveal to me the end of my life and the number of my days. Let me know how transitory I am.  You, indeed, have made my days short in length, and my life span as nothing in Your sight. Yes, every mortal man is only a vapor. Selah

It's obvious that David accomplished great things during the course of his life.  But the question is, "How did he accomplish so much during his lifetime?" 

This particular passage of Scripture in Psalm reveals to us that David, like Moses (Psalm 90), was impressed with life's brevity and the consequent importance of using time wisely.  That of course is often easier said than done!

Peter Drucker, in his book The Effective Executive shares three activities and questions that might help leaders in dealing with time.

"Effective executives...do not start with their task.  They start with their time...They start by finding where their time actually goes.  Then they attempt to manage their time and to cut back unproductive demands on their time.  Finally, they consolidate their discretionary time into the largest possible continuing time units."

Drucker refers to the second step as time management.  After listing the activities to which we devote our time (step one), he suggests that we ask three questions about each of these activities to help us minimize the amount of time we waste:

    1. " 'What would happen if this were not done at all?' And if the answer is, 'Nothing would happen,' then obviously the conclusion is to stop doing it."

    2.  "Which of the activities on my time log could be done by somebody else just as well, if not better?"

    3.  "What do I do that wastes your time without contributing to your effectiveness?"

Drucker closes his chapter on time with this thought:

"Know Thyself," the old prescription for wisdom, is almost impossibly difficult for mortal man.  But everyone can follow the injunction "Know Thy Time" if they want to, and be well on the road toward contribution and effectiveness.