FocusOnTheFamily

Time crunch

The last time I answered the question “How are you?” without saying “Busy” was 1964. I was 12.

Four decades, one wife, five kids, multiple pets, jobs and moves later – how am I? Still busy.

I was taught that we often overestimate how much we can accomplish in a day and underestimate how much we can accomplish in a year. But deciding what to accomplish is not so easy. Do I wash the car or write the great American novel? Do I date my wife first or learn how to play the oboe? Do I go to the gym or play oboe in the city orchestra?

Sadly, all the seminars, books and time management coaches have not helped me add one minute to my 24-hour day. To organize my time, I keep lists of significant next actions and someday-maybe tasks. If I complete one task a day, I will finish by 2098.

Decluttering the list

To prioritize, I cut out the unrealistic dreams. No more plans to become an astronaut, brain surgeon and rocket scientist. This frees me to achieve the important tasks: win the Nobel Peace Prize, become a world-class chef and learn how to use our washing machine.

I once calculated it would take me 14 years to read all the books, watch all the videos and listen to all the music in our home library – 15 if I include our eight-track tapes. To make that number more manageable, I decluttered. I emptied our shelves of everything but the absolutely necessary.

So I got rid of War and Peace. It was painful – what if I appear on a game show and have to name the main character? But the decision bought me time to attend to other duties. Now I can learn how to use my new personal digital assistant. Too bad the manual is thicker than War and Peace.

As I decluttered, I thought of several time-saving changes we need – projects for those of you with free time.

• Invent a surgically implanted calendar that can never be misplaced.
• Lobby Congress to pass legislation requiring a national siesta. A mandatory nap every day would do me wonders.
• Beg entertainers to stop being so entertaining. It would be easy to quit watching Lost if they quit producing it.
• Legalize time-saving techniques while driving such as flossing, making calls and shaving.

Someone once said, “Time is God’s way of keeping everything from happening all at once.” Since I cannot change God’s design and lengthen time, the only option is to change my must-do list. But how do I simplify my life when every magazine I’ve saved since the Reagan administration is still waiting to be read?

I take my inspiration from Solomon who wrote, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

This reminds me that getting things done is not as important as leaving certain items undone if they do not meet two criteria: 1) Does God think those tasks are beautiful? 2) Do they have eternal significance?

What’s important?

I guess becoming a chess master, Oscar-winner or marathon runner might not be God’s plan for me. Not because eight-year-olds beat me at chess, I cannot act or my knees are weak, but because I am sure those trophies would not look that beautiful on my mantle.

On the other hand, connecting with my wife and kids, managing our home, adequately sleeping and exercising, and building my faith, hope and love do please the Lord.

Even though there’s no magic formula for lowering one’s expectations for how much we need to accomplish, the following little poem reminds me to break my addiction to being an achievement junkie:

Only one life, ‘twill soon be passed,
Only what’s done for Christ will last,
So dump my goofy goals real fast.

How am I? Busy . . . at the important things.

Erik Johnson keeps his to-do lists short in Ferndale, Washington.

© 2007 Focus on the Family. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

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