I woke up one morning with a whirlwind of emotions engulfing me. It was a mix of sadness, fear, guilt, and a sense of being useless. Restless nights had plagued my sleep, and when I finally opened my eyes, I noticed that my head was no longer resting on the pillow I had placed the night before. It was as if the pillow had fled from the weight of my relentless thoughts. The room was silent, and I found myself fixated on the ceiling, watching the fast rotation of the fan blades.

Amidst the storm of emotions, a feeling of regret washed over me. I became acutely aware of the time I had wasted in my life, and a pang of conscience struck me. It dawned on me that my habit of procrastination had hindered my progress. Reflecting upon my regrets, I realized I had squandered precious hours on trivial pursuits like movies, excessive sleep, and mindlessly scrolling through social media.

Instead of investing my time in activities that could enhance my life, such as reading enlightening books, studying the scriptures, deepening my relationship with God, working on my business plans, completing important tasks, editing my book, building my website, and taking online courses to improve my skills, I had chosen momentary amusement.

If only I had been consistent in pursuing the things that would have propelled me towards my goals, I would have already achieved the success I yearned for. In that pivotal moment of regret, I made a solemn vow to make better use of my time for the remaining years that God grants me. I contemplated the aspirations I held close to my heart and devised a plan to transform them into reality. Filled with newfound determination, I sprang out of bed, grabbed my laptop, and created a calendar to track my progress.

From that day forward, my life took a profound turn. An unwavering determination propelled me forward, and I embraced the path of becoming a strong, godly woman- woman after God’s own heart, as Elizabeth George eloquently describes in her book. The resounding mantra of “I can do this! This is a new me!” echoed in my mind, providing a sense of purpose and reassurance that I was on the right track.

This is what I planned to do with my time: I meticulously listed all the tasks I had previously neglected, acknowledging my missteps and noting areas for improvement. I marked each activity with a carefully structured calendar and committed to diligently following through. This system allowed me to monitor my progress, evaluate my achievements, and measure my growth. Furthermore, I set new goals, established timelines, and developed a separate calendar to ensure their realization.

I decided to spend my time on this: Build on my relationship with God, build on my marriage by learning more about how to be a good, submissive wife as God wants me to (one book that has helped me on this path is ‘A Woman After God’s Own Heart’ by Elizabeth George), take online classes on some skill-building courses, start a business, begin an NGO, buy and read more Christian books, and write a book.

Challenges so far: Undoubtedly, the journey to embracing a new way of life has presented its challenges. Breaking old habits and adopting new ones proved to be arduous at first, and continues to be a daily struggle. Balancing conflicting responsibilities with the activities outlined on my calendar has been a test of resilience. However, even on the days when circumstances prevent me from fully adhering to my schedule, I make a point to compensate for missed tasks and fulfill my commitments.

What I’ve gained by managing my time: The rewards of effective time management have been nothing short of phenomenal. A profound sense of purpose permeates my days, propelling me forward on the right path. I am evolving into the woman I have always dreamt of becoming.

While I acknowledge that failures may occur, I find solace in the fact that as long as I remain committed to my pursuits, I will emerge victorious. A constant feeling of refreshment engulfs me, as I sense the presence of God guiding my every step. My home radiates a newfound happiness, and success feels within arm’s reach.

What to do with your time as a woman?

This transformative journey serves as a testimony to the power of managing one’s time wisely. As women, we must recognize the fleeting nature of time and refrain from wasting it on endeavors that offer no positive value. Envision the woman you aspire to become- whether it be a loving mother and wife, a successful entrepreneur, the founder of an NGO, an accomplished author, a woman of faith, or any other ambition.

Channel your efforts towards setting SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound) goals. Craft a calendar or timetable to track your progress, and never neglect to nourish your spirituality, for everything achieved in this earthly life will fade away, but the state of our souls is eternal.

Twelve Tips for Time Management and Productivity(by author Elizabeth George)

1. Plan in detail: You need to have a planner so that you can write everything you have doing in it. Also describe in detail how you want to go about every activity.
2. Deal with today: Don’t worry your head so much about what you’ll do tomorrow. Tomorrow has its dealings. Strive to deal with the things you have today. “Every day is a little life, and our whole life is but a day repeated.”
3. Value each minuite: Every minuite of your time is important. Decide wisely what you plan to do with your time. Wether 5 minuites or 40 minuites, is what you’re doing within that time worth it? Decide if the task is worth the time.
4. Keep moving: Sometimes, laziness or tiredness can pull you away from completing tasks in your planner. But you have to keep moving. You have to psych yourself that the work is almost due. “Tell yourself, just one more thing… just five more minutes.”
5. Develop a routine: Put your tasks into a routine. The more you do it, the more it become a habit.
6. Exercise and diet: Studies have listed the positive effect of exercising such as creating energy, getting a good sleep, increasing metabolism and producing hormones that helps one develop positive attitudes. Dieting(way of life) provides you with the health needed to complete your goals.
7. Ask the “half the time” question: “If my life depended upon doing this task in half the time i have allotted, what shortcuts would I take? Then take the.”
8. Use a timer for everything: Use a timer for your tasks. Setting a timer for start to completion of your taasks can keep you going and push to make the most of the time.
9. Do the worst first: Looking at the task we don’t like doing can discourage us from doing anything at all. Find the worst task on your to do list and do that first. This will keep you from dreading over the rest of the work.
10. Read daily on time management: Reading more books on time management can increase your zeal of managing time, as well as give you more insight on how to manage your time wisely.
11. Say no: Say no to any destructions from you or others.
12. Begin the night before: Plan the next day the night before. Tick the activities you can do the next day in your planner.

Remember, time is too precious to squander. We cannot halt its relentless march, but we can seize each moment and invest it wisely, guided by the grace and control of God.

As you’re reading this post, let me ask you; woman! What are you doing with your time?

Shed your old skin and embrace a new one. Rise up once more, for it is never too late. Age holds no significance, so pick yourself up again. Remember, God is good and will never abandon you if you surrender to His guidance. Give your utmost as a human, and leave the rest to God’s care.

Dear reader, share with me your experiences when it comes to time management before you leave. What’s your story? share in the comment section.

Featured Image by wayhomestudio on Freepik

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