How to Be a Better Manager of Your Most Valuable Resource

Whether you’re a full-time homemaker or you work a job outside of the home, your most valuable resource is your time. Let’s talk a little today about some simple ways we can effectively manage the 24 hours God has given us.

Over 18 years ago I handed in my resignation at my cozy government job. I made double the amount of income as my husband. It was a leap of faith to say the least. I was so excited to be a homemaker. It was really all I wanted since we got married. I quickly realized that my most valuable resource was my time, and boy, did I not know how to manage it properly.

If you’re interested in our journey to simple living, and what we reduced to live on one income, you can read about that there:

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To be honest, I’m still learning how to manage my time well. I have learned three important things along the way, and I thought maybe they’d be a help to you, too. Whether you work full time, or you’re a homemaker, like myself, these things can be applied to help make the most of this valuable resource.

Three tips for making the most of your day

1- make a plan.

Have you heard the quote “failing to plan is planning to fail”? I have found it to be so true in my life. The days I have an agenda go so much more smoothly than the days I just “let happen”. I do enjoy having a “slack day” in my schedule, but for the most part, I have a plan for everyday of the week.

I have purchased almost every type of daily planner under the sun and have learned that a simple notebook works best for me. Usually on Sunday evenings I’ll sit down and do a “brain dump”. I jot down every single thing that’s floating around in my head that needs accomplished the following week. A lot of times this looks like:

• Bake bread
• Catch up laundry
• Write email to BTS group
• Church work
• Clean coop
• Fill nesting boxes
• Weed garden
• Clean car
• Special projects around the house
• blog work

This is also when I decided what we will eat this week and pull the meat out of the freezer in preparation. Once I have my large list of to dos written down, I will delegate each task to a day. Which brings me to my second tip:

2- set your priority–

I once heard it said that the idea of “priorities” was wrong. That the definition of priority is precedence, urgency, most important, and that if that was the case having multiple items of precedence made them less urgent and less important. It makes sense, right? Keeping this in mind, I set one priority for every day. Once that priority is taken care of, I add a couple of other items from my never ending list of to dos. For instance, Monday is “catch up day” here. I get caught up on all the housework I let slip during the weekend. Most of the time my top priority for Monday is to get the laundry caught up. If that’s all I’ve done on that particular Monday, it’s a win. If I accomplish that plus a few others, it’s a win. Always make one task the priority for the day.

You may also enjoy this post about my old-fashioned homemaking routine: How To Create an Old-Fashioned Homemaking Routine

3- limit distractions–

I am blessed to have vivid memories of life before smart phones. When we got married and started our family, we didn’t have internet. We didn’t for many years, actually. I have great memories of our son’s childhood, and how much fun we had. This was all before we had many distractions in our home. Now, with cell phones and tablets and tv and computers, our homes are just one big distraction. I have a couple of rules set in place for myself to limit these distractions.

The first rule is to not touch my phone until my Bible reading is done for the morning. This helps me keep my quiet time with the Lord a top priority.

The second is to have a distraction free day. This doesn’t happen weekly, but I’d love for it too. I love to turn off all the noise. I even shut the WiFi off, and just simply focus on what needs done. You would be totally amazed at what can be accomplished on a distraction free day!

Limiting distractions can look as basic as turning off notifications for certain apps (Instagram, for me!!), or simply turning your phone on silent and tucking it away in a drawer. The Amish have phone shacks. These shacks aren’t attached to their homes, so the phone isn’t a distraction when they’re with their family. I LOVE THIS IDEA. So much so, that I created my own little phone shack in the house. It’s a little box that I keep my phone in during the day. I don’t allow myself to walk off with it. It must stay in or around the box. This majorly limits the amount of time I spend using it. IT also helps me make the most of my most valuable resource.

“phone shack” Box ideas:

• Cable Management Box
• Unplugged Box
• Decorative Book Boxes

Bible Verses on Time Management

• “So teach us to number our days, That we may apply our heart unto wisdom.” Psalm 90:12
• “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefor be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17
• “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.” Colossians 4:5
• “The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.” Proverbs 21:5

I know that time management is tricky. Especially as a homemaker. One verse that always encourages me as I’m planning my days is, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” James 1:5-6. I fully believe that when we ask God for the wisdom to plan our days and take full advantage of our most valuable resource, He will give it to us.

Here’s an image to pin for later…