Block Your Time
One of the most defining characteristics of 21st-century living is the ability to multitask. We are busy, important people and have multiple, concurrent responsibilities. We are doing all kinds of things simultaneously. We have become Jacks of all trades and masters of none. This is how we inadvertently spread ourselves too thin at times.
But there are some jobs where we must devote exclusive time to work on them slowly and deliberately. In the professional world, we called this “protected time.” We designate a period of time where we will not allow ourselves to be interrupted. We do not answer the phone and we do not take visitors. We close the door to outside distractions. We do not take a break to send text messages or browse on Facebook. We fully devote our time to the important matter before us.
When it comes to our personal and spiritual growth, we must be no less diligent.
We must be willing to block out time for the things that are most important. These actually can be little respite periods from the hustle and bustle of life. We make a list of what is important and we schedule in the activities to make sure that they will happen. I have found that this works best if I schedule periods of personally and spiritually healthy activities throughout my day.
If you wait till you feel like exercising, you’ll only exercise when you feel like it. We must be more deliberate than that. We must not just do the things that are good for us when we feel like it. We must do the things that are good for us all the time. We get so busy that sometimes we don’t take very good care of ourselves. It is always best if we don’t wait for the heart attack to consider exercising regularly.
So, take out a piece of paper and a pen and schedule in a few things. If family is important, schedule time where you put your phone aside and devote your time, attention and energy directly to them. Whatever you do, block a lot of time to talk to God, to listen to God and to experience God. Schedule protected time to take good care of yourself. You are worth it.
Thank you
Jim
James A. Francetich is a freelance writer and author. The opinions expressed are solely of the author and do not represent any community based recovery programs, private or public entities or any governmental agencies.