5 Keys to Tangent-Proofing Your Time
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Welcome Encouragement for Today devotion readers. If you are joining us and haven’t yet read my devotion today, click here to do so and get up to speed with the rest of us here. Don’t forget to hit your back arrow and come back for 5 keys to tangent proofing your time and a giveaway!
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Have you been there? Allowed the Internet or another hobby or pastime knock you off course and sap your time? How can you prevent this from happening in the future? Here are 5 guidelines that have helped me focus and keep on task:
~ Plan your work and then work your plan, grouping like tasks together.
There is no substitute for a good working list. If you set out to “get things done” without a written list of what it is you need to accomplish, it will sap your mental strength. You will unknowingly be preoccupied with the fear of “forgetting”: to make a call, send an email or pull meat out of the freezer to thaw for supper.
If you can brain dump your tasks on to a piece of paper or “notes” app on your phone or electronic tablet, you can focus all your mental energies on doing the task at hand rather than worrying you’ll forget one you hope to accomplish later that day.
When you are making your list, group like tasks. Think about the errands that require you to leave your home: the dry cleaners, grocery or drug store, post office run or item to return. What about tasks that require the computer: sending an email, making an online purchase or paying a utility bill. Are there around the home chores that must be done? Cleaning, laundry, pulling weeds or organizing a closet?
Rather than just launching out on a “mission to accomplish” and randomly start working, think smart. You will save time, motion and effort if you group like tasks as you work.
I do this, once I have written out my list, by using different color highlighters. I’ll highlight all the “around the town” errands in pink, computer tasks in green, etc… While I’d like to be organized enough to group the tasks as I write the list, that often takes more effort and may require starting over. Just doing a general brain dump and then going back and categorizing with highlighters works best for me. Besides, I like to see pretty colors on my to do list rather than just a black and white list. :-)
~ Utilize your phone alarm.
Work in pre-determined “shifts”. Set out to tackle some household chores, but set your phone alarm for 30-45 minutes later. Then, dive in and work, without thinking about anything else. Roll up your sleeves. Stay focused. Listen to music or an audio Bible on an Ipod or MP3 player. Lose yourself in your work.
When the alarm sounds, read what the screen says. (I “talk to myself” by making my alarm reminder read “Good job girl! Go make yourself an iced tea!”) Wrap up the current task, take a short break and move on to the next thing.
~ Alternate between working with your brain and working with your hands.
I find that if I am using my brain for an extended period of time perhaps writing, filling out college forms or other paperwork, I need to mix it up after a few hours. Those tasks are not particularly draining physically but do deplete my brain’s energy and creativity .
To remedy this, I will switch to something brainless for a while instead. Yes, I will fold laundry or clean the house while watching Gunsmoke, Bonanza or another retro show. It rests my mind and refreshes me. Then, I’m ready to jump back in and use my brain again.
~ Set up a visual reminder of your time priorities.
I place my Bible on top of my Ipad each night on my nightstand to remind me “Bible over blogs”.
Maybe you’ll need to make your phone’s lock screen read “Have you spent time with God yet today?”.
Or put a picture of your family on your computer’s home page. Anything that will help you connect with God and your family BEFORE you venture off into cyber-land.
~ Less is more.
The less I am pulled by social media and cell phones, the more time I have for God, family and just “being” rather than “doing” all the time.
This has been the biggest lesson lately for me when it comes to electronic devices becoming tangents. I was letting social media, my cell phone and emails I received call the shots and dictate how I spent my time. With the instant access that today’s culture provides, it can overrun a people-pleaser like me.
Up until a few months ago, I gave out my cell phone number freely. I was accumulating friends on Facebook and also accumulating lots of “invites”, and “requests” and challenges to play games. And, I was getting dozens of emails per week from people asking me questions to which I had no answer or asking for time-consuming favors from me.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I love helping people. I am thankful for the connections that can happen and the ministry that takes place via the Internet. Seriously thankful.
I am deeply grateful for cyber friends and blog readers and I am a faithful reader of a few blogs myself. However, because I tend to be a people pleaser, I would jump when I got a private Facebook message and feel I needed to answer right away. Or, if a text message came in when I was supposed to be accomplishing a task or spending time with my family, I would feel the tug to text back quickly.
When I would fight the urge and, in an attempt to live my priorities, not respond until later when I had time, I would feel guilty. Or others would feel slighted that it took me a day or so to answer. However, when I added up the time it would take just answering people (sometimes to tell them I actually had no answer!) it would be hours per week.
So now I give myself some guidelines and boundaries including limiting answering emails (that aren’t from family or my work-at-home ministry position at Proverbs 31) to 30 minutes a day. That might mean I can’t answer someone for a few days or weeks depending on how full my inbox is. I also got a new cell number and only give the number out to family, close friends, my one son’s school and other sons’ tutors and crucial ministry contacts. I can still communicate with friends (in real life and cyber both) by Twitter messages rather than texting.
I have become so convinced that electronic communication methods, with their instant access to people, have become modern day bullies. They boss us around and burn up our time when we aren’t intentional to use them as tools only. I can’t describe to you the freedom I now feel now that my phone buzzes only occasionally and I don’t feel glued to the computer. Ahhh….freedom!
Now, please leave a comment with which of these tips you’d most like to try. Or, any other piece of advice or thoughts you have on this topic. One gal will be chosen to receive a signed copy of my book The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized and a $15 Staples gift card to purchase some list-making notepads or a new planner to help you use your time wisely.
Winner announced Monday.
Thank you for the “doable”, helpful suggestions! I will try to set my cell alarm (I often use the kitchen timer) and the color-coding with hi-lighters for my task list!! Now it’s time for me to get off email and get back to my IPad screen that has my prayer requests…
Thank you, thank you for this helpful insight today. I like the advice of 30 minutes of computer time per day. I too am finding that my phone & computer time takes away some precious minutes of my day. That is one thing that I am going to try :)
This is exactly why I left Facebook! And Ive never looked back. I still email, and text but am able to keep it in moderaton. I prefer these methods over actual phone calls most of the time, then I can answer questions, make plans, and get information for people on MY time, not when I hear the ring of the phone! I would like to do a better job if putting God first. I usually go for the iPad, and read emails first thing in the morning, while kids watch cartoons, and do my God time when they nap. I could even say a prayer, acknowledge Him, His hand in my life, and connected with Him before I start my day. Thanks Karen!
This quote right here: “Plan your work and then work your plan, grouping like tasks together” got my attention pretty quick! I tend to make nice lists for myself at the beginning of the week, but then I do not look at that list the rest of the week. One of my problems is that I do not “work my plan.” “Grouping like tasks together” makes a lot of sense too. I need to work on this as well. I am learning to try to be more focused and less of a multi-tasker because I do seem to get distracted a lot. I look up from doing something and realize I had deserted the task I orginally began (several times over) – I get on a lot of tangents. I am trying to reign it in as much as possible because there is a lot going on in my household and family lately. I cannot seem to keep up. I feel busy all of the time and go from one thing to the next but most of the time do not feel much accomplishment. That is debilitating sometimes and then I get even less accomplished. I also like the idea of the “brain dump” and then highlighting to put those things in the different colors to group like items together! Thank you so much for the encouragement and helpful ideas to put into practice! I would really like to be entered into the drawing for the book!
Thank You Karen for your devotion on Tangent proofing your time. I closed my facebook account a few months ago because even though I love keeping up with all my friends etc, I simply do not want to be caught up in all the gossip and what others are wanting to say about other people but are afraid to say it to that particular person in general. I have found that I am so much happier and I have kept all my friends and relatives personal emails so that I can contact them this way and my day goes by so much better. I am sure if I need to know something that God will reveal it to me. Again, Thank You for the reminder. God Bless You in a special way today.
Thank you, Karen for all the wonderful ideas on using the TOOLS in our lives. I especially loved the idea of placing my Bible on top of my Ipad on my kitchen desk at night. What an awesome reminder for me of right priorities when I walk in the kitchen each new day!!
Uh oh, I think I’ve spent too much time, though, reading all the great comments to today’s post!
Gotta go, now. Love, Anita
I’m good about not being attached to my phone, but that computer becomes a black hole that sucks up my time. I don’t like it! I haven’t joined facebook and one of the reasons os because I want to spend less time online, not more. I’m going to try to set a timer to limit my computer time. Thank you for writing these tips!
Thanks for these tips! Sometimes I feel like I just somehow missed all the lessons on time management and organization…and then I feel foolish trying to get ideas or tips from others because they don’t realize how far I need to grow…
Anyway, I liked the brain dump and highlight idea, but my favorite one was using he timer on my phone to focus and direct my time (and then encourage myself). Plus the reminders on my lock screen…evidently, I just need to run with these suggestions! Thanks :-)
I alternate between physical and mental tasks. I have a bad back so taking breaks is a must. When I sit down I read, pay bills, sort paperwork, etc. for 15-30 minutes (depending on how bad I hurt) before getting up to tackle more housekeeping.
I like the phone alarm for Reminders & I too put my Bible on my Kindle-don’t have Ipod yet!
Wow! God is so good! He knows what we need before we even ask! This devotional is EXACTLY where I have been struggling. My husband is gone out of state to raise support for the prison ministry God has blessed us with. While he has been gone, I have frittered away more of my time than I would like to confess. I really like your idea about setting a timer. We have a house to pack up to move. We are building a house and will moat likely be moving in August. I must get to packing.g, but I tend to be a procrastinator anyway. Social media has become my time-waster of choice. THANK YOU for your honesty and challenge. I will do my best to begin today. May God richly bless the ministry He has given you.
I loved all of the suggestions but the ones I will start using right away is grouping the tasks with highlighters and alarms. I have already started telling myself as of a few days ago that I am NOT required to answer EVERY text right away or EVERY inbox message. I need to answer them, but as I have time to do so…planned time. Thanks for the post!
I love the phone alarm idea. I use my phone alarm for everything, but I never thought of using it like that. Thanks for the idea.
I love the Bible on top of your IPad! What a great visual reminder.
Funny how much time playing games can take…Working on that one… Like the timer idea. Thank you so much for your devotion / blog
I love the phone alarm and getting a pat on the back when you have completed a task. I also like the highlighting of like tasks together. I loved the entire list and I am one of the people that jump up and volunteer when something needs to be done and feel overwhelmed most of the time. I am working on this and setting my priorities. Thanks for a wonderful post and a jumpstart to getting it done. Sweet Blessings to you and thanks for all you do.
Thank you so much Karen!!!
I think God was talking to me through your ideas todays, I have been spending way too much time reading emails, searching for items I don’t have the money to be purchasing right now and many other wasteful tasks.
This has made me open my eyes to remember who comes first in my journey with God today and I need to take care of my family and other priorities first before spending time on the endless realms of the internet.
What a beautiful blessing for me to start my day!!
Thank you for this awesome encourgement. I know I need to apply all of the tips to my daily schedule but I’m excited to try the brain dumping my task on paper. The highlighting is what did it for me. : ) Anything to use paper, pens, and highlighters is a winner. Now off the computer to accomplish some things.
This topic has been on my mind a lot lately. I had to do a “self-evaluation” a little over a month ago. Facebook was consuming my life. I have an iPhone which made it SO easy to just jump on facebook any spare moment (even moments that weren’t spare): waiting at a stop light, waiting in line at Wal-Mart, taking a break at work, and just basically…every 10 minutes at home – checking…just to see if someone commented, what someone posted, any messages? Well, I realized even more than it consuming my time it was also causing me lots of doubts and insecurities. People post EVERYTHING on there. So I decided to be one step ahead of the game. I deactivated my facebook. I love using it for a tool of ministry and witness, but when it causes more harm and destruction to self, that’s when its time to hang it up and re-focus. So I did. And everytime I look at my phone now, in a spare moment or “every 10 minutes” it is to re-read my devotions for the day; rather than checking for updates. But now I need to focus on the text messages. I too am one that feels they have to respond immediately to a text, and humbly admit that I feel discouraged if someone doesn’t quickly respond to mine. So that will be my next area of re-focus. I need to learn to not let those things take priority over BEING. Thank you for your message!
Loved your blog today. Email has monopolized a lot of my time. I have started picking and choosing what I want to take the time to read, I may at times miss something that I might enjoy but there is so much more to life than email. Thank you for all your wonderful suggestions, The color coded list idea sounds like one I should try. It would give me focus.
I love the advice of alternating working with your brain and your hands. Definitely going to try that one out!
I really enjoyed the idea of brainstorming a “to do” list, then color-coding to group like items. This saves time that rewriting the list would have taken — and it’s prettier!
Looooved the timer idea. I do want to suggest a use of social media as a TOOL. I send a morning devotional(often based on P31 devos) to over 40 people via text each morning. Some respond w/ a positive comment or just a HI–which I do not respond back(waste of my morn time). It has become a connection w/ faraway friends, old friends I don’t get to see anymore…a blessing 2 me & 2 many!
As I am reading this on my iPad while my bible sits next to me, closed, I think I need to do the “bible over blogs” tip! I can get so sucked in to the Internet that nothing feels accomplished during the day and I wonder where my day went. God is trying to break this bad habit in me. So this post was very timely!
I so needed this!! I am guilty of letting my phone control my time.
My favorite tip is to use your phone alarm. Of all the things I use my phone for, that is not one of them. Thanks for such helpful tips!