Is this a time management issue?
Sometimes it is, but not always.
Because of our culture’s uber-focus on productivity, I find myself having a lot of conversations with people who want to manage their time better. Sometimes the goal is to get more done, while for others it is simply to complete necessary tasks so that they can enjoy time with loved ones and interests outside of work.
Here’s what I have found: time management is indeed challenging for some people. Their brilliant brains have other strengths. These folks benefit from technical solutions such as body doubling (working in parallel with another person), calendars with programmed reminders, and gentle, chosen accountability. These tools exist for a reason, so let’s use them!
For other people, though, time management is not always a logistical fix, because it’s a presenting issue for a bigger obstacle. That problem is often related to outsized expectations, whether they originate internally or externally. Such beliefs make us think that we are lacking because we can’t do all the things when in fact the expectations themselves are unhelpful and unhealthy. If this is the situation, technical tools will only get us so far. (In fact, they could make matters worse because we get so deflated when they don’t turn out to be a panacea.) We instead need an adaptive solution, which is a more fundamental shift in thinking, being, and/or doing.
The next time you question your time management, ask yourself if this is a quandary that can be resolved with something like a deadline, a partner, a list, color-coding, or the use of technology. If yes, fantastic! Go forth to put these helps into place. But if not, dig a little deeper:
What (or who) is driving my need to use my time more efficiently?
How does the inclination to be more productive align with my most deeply-held values?
If there is no alignment, how might I re-root myself in my core commitments? What will it do for my body, mind, and spirit to be more grounded?
How can practices and people help me stay focused on what is really mine to do instead of all I could be doing?
What barriers do I anticipate, and how can I mitigate them?
As you can see, there’s still a need in this approach to use technical tools. They are in service, though, to a bigger change that can be more life-giving than the hamster wheel of overfunctioning.
We have all been sold the lies that our worth is based in doing more and more and that rest is for the weak. It is an act of discipleship to counteract these unbiblical messages. “I’m not doing it all” might not be a message your ministry setting appreciates at first, but it is solid spiritual leadership.