Many times we think of benefits in the context of all play and no work. But, anything worth having and enjoying is going to take some work. The benefits gained will be worth it, especially, if it’s the kind of work we desire to do.
By now, I’m sure you have asked yourself. Where did the time go this year? Or, When is 2019 going to be over? Well! I’ve beat you to it. I have asked myself both of those questions, and I still can’t figure it out, nor do I want to. In my mind, I’m looking forward to an amazing new year 2020. It’s going to be a year of refocusing, refreshing, redefining, and renewing myself.
Preparing to refocus is going to take a little time to reflect on the things we didn’t do so well. I’m sure time management will be one of the items on the list. If not, it should be a priority. Time management has been something I’ve had a challenge with over the last few months. I’ve gotten so much better. But, it’s not enough. To refocus my time, I’ve created ways to earn income online. I’ve uploaded my skills to ”Upwork” to showcase my skills as a freelancer, editing, proofreading, and my talents through grant-writing. This is my all-time favorite thing to do!
Let’s go easy on ourselves, as we set out to refocus using time management more wisely. At first, we may not have a clue how we’re going to manage our time. But, we need to be crystal clear on how we are planning to start this new habit. This is not a new year’s resolution. [That’s one of my blogs]. Refocusing is going to allow us time to put new habits in place every day to manage our time more efficiently.
First, let’s take a closer look at our calendar. Each week, we need to schedule what must happen during the week. Such as extracurricular activities, meetings at work, clubs we’ve joined, etc., then, schedule the other activities that cannot be avoided. For me, I have placed Bible Study and Sunday Service on my calendar as important to do every week. These two days are equally important as the other days on my calendar.
If you missed one of your activities or an event, last week. Don’t move it forward on your calendar because you missed it. However, ask yourself a few questions. Why did you miss the activity? Did you overbook yourself? Can it be rescheduled for later during the month when you have more time? These types of questions will keep you on track. It will also help you to refocus what’s important every week as you’re developing that new habit of time management. If you remain consistent for 6 months, you’ll use your calendar all the time to help you maintain the balance you need to stay focus. Even, if you don’t have your calendar with you, you’ll hesitate to schedule anything because you don’t want to overbook your time.
Refreshing is just like it sounds. Fantastic! I don’t think we allow ourselves enough time to do this during the year. We get bogged down with the habit of scheduling activities every week. We forget to put time on the calendar for us to refresh. Failing to refresh ourselves causes feelings of tiredness, grogginess, anxiousness, and being overwhelmed.
Refreshing ourselves doesn’t have to be going out and spending any money. It can be simple things [taking a walk, drinking water, listening to soft music, or reading devotional quotes] we do daily to help boost the way we’re thinking. It’s important to take care of ourselves. If we’re not at our best, the people we serve and the people who work for us or around us can’t be at their best either.
Redefining sounds like work. Yup! It is. The ability to reinvent and redefine ourselves is a bold and purposeful choice. It doesn’t just happen. We have to make intentional choices, and then follow through. Changing habits, thought patterns and our inner circle of friends, can be quite scary. It’s going to take courage and a bit of faith to make these big steps. However, it is one of the most critical processes we must repeatedly endure in the pursuit of destiny.
This process is going to be a lifelong and continuous cycle. You’ll never be too old to refresh yourself. We’re creatures of habit so break out of your comfort zone. Go and find new experiences, meet new people, and learn something new. Change forces us to adapt.
Renewing is another hard thing to do. When we feel like we’ve been skimming the surface of life, this is likely a sign we need to reboot. Getting stuck in a rut can put a damper on the most blessed things going on in life. We find ourselves complaining because we don’t {supposedly) have what others have. Spiritual stagnation puts us in a place of, discontentment [another one of my blogs], which leaves us feeling sorry for ourselves and possibly the mess we’ve made of our lives. During this time, we have to be willing to recommit to our journey of profound inner growth.
As you work through the 4 Rs, it’s important you have renewed yourself spiritually. That’s a big key to your strength. You won’t benefit from this new way of living half-heartedly. You’ll find yourself more frustrated than when you started. Allow God to take the journey with you.
