Life Too Busy? Read On!

If there is one expression we hear from our clients and friends, it is, “My life is so busy!” For some, it is a sign of importance. For others, it comes because they can’t say “No” and don’t put life’s activities into priorities. I remember in the college lunchroom when we would spend time complaining about how much homework and how many papers we had to do and write. (Yes, there were a couple of colleges in the United States when I was 20 years old.) We were feeling busy and looking for pity that none of us could give each other, while the ones who were organized had already left the table and were studying. Mmmmm…

When I developed the Unstatus Your Quo® Growth Plan, my desire was to help people with behavior change without adding busyness to their day or taking away sleep which the Lord wants us to have. How many times have you heard advice about waking up an hour earlier to exercise? Not necessarily good advice unless you are going to bed an hour earlier avoiding some unfruitful activity keeping you awake.

Our approach has been to teach clients progressively powerful ways to be better stewards of the time that God has given them. There are a number of ways clients are creating time for new and much more meaningful behavior with tiny steps leading to Target Behaviors that please the Lord. So, here are some tips for better Time Stewardship:

Tip #1 – A Question to Ask Yourself

When you are about to do something, ask yourself, “Is what I am about to do going to glorify God?” If the answer is “No”, then don’t do it. If it is part of a regular behavior, follow the instructions in this short video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BjKS1-vjPs

Tip #2 – Another Question to Ask Yourself

When you are about to pick up your smartphone to check out something, ask yourself, “What am I going to do with this information?” If you are going to act upon this info, that’s fine. If not, see the video hyperlink above.

In all seriousness, these two questions will reveal poor time stewardship and opportunities to free up time for new behaviors leading to a more meaningful and God-glorifying life. You can even have some fun with others holding you accountable.

One of the most popular Tiny Action Progress Paths (TAPPs) we have in the TAPP Resource Bank starts with an action when walking in the door from work. The clients have agreed to greet quickly their spouse and family followed immediately with a walk directly into the bedroom. After changing clothes, the client walks into the family room to spend 30 minutes with the family while leaving the smartphone in the bedroom. What we have here is Dad giving his family his full attention, learning about their day, seeing teaching moments, showing his love, and many other meaningful experiences.

One client came up with a great idea to increase his accountability. He told his young son what he was going to try to do, and he gave the little boy permission to ask him if he had left the phone in the bedroom. If the father had forgotten to leave it, the little boy would get some ice cream after dinner. The beautiful irony in this situation is that the little boy was going to be the prompt. (Those who have experienced the Unstatus Your Quo® Growth Plan know about the essential use of a prompt.) The son was also going to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of his father’s eventual new habit of ignoring the phone during the night. Don’t worry, while the habit was forming, the little boy did get some special nights of ice cream when the father did leave the phone in the bedroom.

There are other ways to identify meaningless time and substitute it with meaningful time. The two questions above will reveal many opportunities, and the Unstatus Your Quo® Growth Plan can help you add to the list and support you through the rest of the way to purpose fulfillment. Please share these tips with people you love and would like more time with them.

Charlie

Learn more about the Unstatus Your Quo® Growth Plan and how to better steward your time by starting Session #1 for FREE.