Do you ever find yourself running short on time? Doesn’t it seem like life gets more and more busy and the days get shorter and shorter? For us, this has been all to true lately. Our to-do lists have been growing daily, and while we are working more than ever to try to get things done, it seems like there is never enough time.
We recently heard something interesting about time. Our pastor asked everyone how much time they have every day. The obvious answer was 24 hours. The same for you and the same for me. We all have the same amount of time. He then began to unpack the idea of ‘not having time’ for something. He said that instead of responding to something by saying “I just don’t have time” he challenged himself to answer, “It’s not a priority for me.”
It’s an honest answer. If a colleague at work asked you to take on some of their problems, it could be a perfect response. “I’m sorry, but I can’t, it’s just not a priority for me. My priority is completing the project I need to finish.”
But how does that answer work in other areas of life?
Can we please sit down for dinner as a family? “I’m sorry, it’s not a priority for me.”
Mom, can you play with me? “I’m sorry, it’s not a priority for me.”
Why don’t we spend more time together like we used to? “I’m sorry, it’s not a priority for me.”
Yeah. It sounds a little more harsh under those circumstances, right?
It really made us think about how we prioritize our time. As he pointed out, we all have the same amount of hours in a day. Some just prioritize things better than others. So for us, it’s adjusting our priorities to ensure that the important things are in their rightful place – the top priorities. That way, if we truly can’t fit something into the day, it will be something we are at peace about saying, “I’m sorry, it’s not a priority for me.”
The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” – Stephen Covey
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