"Working on Monday" Part 5- Time Management Will Change Your Life

Welcome back to "Working on Monday!"  I have been unemployed for five weeks now.  It has been a  gradual transition.  Part of my former job was being on-call 24/7.  It was difficult if not impossible to make plans because a life threatening event could need my attention at any given time.  I found myself waiting for my pager to go off and suddenly remembering, hey, you do not work anymore, relax.  Working over sixty hours a week at all hours of the day and night and then suddenly being left with an open calendar has been a tough adjustment.  My life being released from such an unpredictable schedule is now in need of order.  Our topic this week, time management.

"Working on Monday" a Practical Perspective 

I have come to this conclusion, success is a lifestyle.  People try to lose weight going from diet to diet.  They only find success when they change the way they live.  Super star athletes are major competitors because they train, this is their lifestyle.  What happens when a person is addicted to drugs?  They live to get high!  Drug addiction is a lifestyle.  A lifestyle is built by the things we do with our time.  

Now that we are working with the assumption that success is a lifestyle, it is vital to remember what type of lifestyle we seek.  You can be successful at anything.  You can be a successful failure, loser and abuser.  Many times we do not even practice for the parts we play in life.  They are ingrained in us by life and our families of origin (Cattapan and Grimwade).
   
Action Plan 10:
Make note of how you spend your time for the next four days.  What time do you wake-up?  How much time do you spend watching television?

What do Successful People do with Their Time?

Time Magazine wrote an article able Nelson Mandela.  It celebrated his ninetieth birthday, by discussing his principles of leadership.  From this article I extrapolated how Nelson Mandela spent his time.

1. Inspiring others to participate in his cause.
2. Thinking about relevant events and circumstances
3. Planing 
4. Reading books of wisdom and instruction 
5. Meeting with his colleagues and discussing current events and topics that impacted his causes
6. Listening 
7. Learning about his enemy
8. Persuading people to support his ideas

 

Action Plan 11:
Look at how you spend your time.  Take out the unnecessary things and make a schedule.

Action Plan 12:
Stick to your schedule and only make changes that lead to success.     

"Working on Monday" a Spiritual Perspective

The book of Acts is the story of how the new covenant church began.  The church grew by thousands daily, but it was not without persecution and dedication.  In Acts chapters one and two, Jesus ascends into heaven and the disciples go to the upper room and prepare for the Holy Spirit.  The disciples were making a lifestyle change.  They had gone from the security of following Jesus to preparing for living the unknown.  This is what is happening to us.  You are leaving behind the familiar and grabbing hold of change to live out your dreams. 

Spiritual Lessons Learned from Acts 1 and 2

1.  Do not stand still looking into heaven waiting for Jesus to return.  Go prepare for your destiny.
2. Preparation involves prayer.
3. Action involves the Holy Spirit.
4. You will be able to speak to people that think and speak a different language.  For example you will be able to communicate with business people that specialize in different areas of expertise.
5. People will look for reasons to underestimate your excellence, but your words and conviction will win them over.
6. God will give you power and courage to do impossible things! 

Next week is a big week.  We are taking action!  Make sure you are caught up and ready to move!

References

Cattapan, O., & Grimwade, J. (2008). Parental Illicit Drug Use and Family Life: Reports From Those Who Sought Help. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 29(2), 77-87. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.

Time Magazine: Mandela- His 8 Lessons of Leadership

Stepcase Lifehack: Fifty Habits of Highly Successful People

The New York Times: How Different Groups Spend Their Time