Life (Time) Management PDF

BOWEN UNIVERSITY GEL 101: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF EXCELLENT LIVING Life (Time) Management Background As we moved on from town to town, with our travelling bags and empty water bottles, my weariness increased; firstly, for the fear of...

BOWEN UNIVERSITY GEL 101: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF EXCELLENT LIVING Life (Time) Management Background As we moved on from town to town, with our travelling bags and empty water bottles, my weariness increased; firstly, for the fear of not knowing where we were headed, and secondly because we were left with nothing to eat and drink. My anger got pitched to the highest level when someone screamed out loud the fact that we had been turning in circles in an opposite direction to where we should have been headed. The leader of our group apologized profusely for reading the map wrong and misleading every single one of us. But nothing could be done to change the fact that we had been on this course for the past 4 days; on a journey that should have taken us 4 hours. I realized that my friends and I had our faults, for we turned deaf ears to our school history tutor who asked us to obtain maps of that region and study it thoroughly before heading out on our visit to Molucku historical site. At this time, we had lost sight of our final destination, and we were busy shifting blames and complaining about the incompetence of our leader. Suddenly, there arose the guy who never spoke in class, saying he could redirect us and lead us on our way to Molucku. We all decided to give him a trial, and in 2 hours we were standing face to face with the famous historical site. Introduction At a time when the children of Israel had lost direction and were given to murmuring as a way of life, the sons of Issachar stood out as a voice of direction for them under God (1 Chronicles 12:32). From the background story, we can note few things: 1. Everyone had the opportunity of knowing where to go and how, but almost everyone did not count it important. 2. Instead of realizing individual faults, there was a communal blame cast on the group leader. 3. Knowing what to do and how, keeps a person in command of either his own life or his journey with others. 4. Effective planning is a non-negligible element of time management. Life (Time) management Life in itself is a gift to us from God, for which each man stands accountable. The importance of time management in a balanced and successful life cannot be over-emphasized. Time is the currency on which our lives thrive and its one that cannot be re-gained when lost. Objective of module: 1.) To help students understand the importance of time management to their academic success. 2.) To teach the students about time management impact on life, output and efficiency. 3.) To emphasise biblical teachings on time management Conceptual discussion Time management is the use of one’s time effectively or productively, especially at work. 1 As a student, many activities pull at your attention and more often than not, they are all for just causes, therefore, appropriate time must be scheduled for the various activities. When the Bible referred to the sons of Issachar as those who understood seasons and times, there was a following statement implying that it kept them in the position to instruct, lead and direct their brethren. Successful students form a habit of effectual time management. As everyone has an equal opportunity of 24 hours in a day, intelligence is measured by how well you are able to utilize these hours and live a balanced successful life as a student. Planning your time goes beyond just drafting a timetable on paper, it goes to the point of actualizing the drawn plan and making necessary adjustments that could seem inconvenient at first, but would even out with time. Godliness: A godly person strives to please God; and one way is to efficiently utilise the resources made available to him/her. This includes our time; be accountable for every minute of the day. Excellence: Proper time management does not imply no rest, no fun. It simply implies that everything for which time is allocated must give a productive result. Rest will help a student study properly, some community service will benefit the society in which we live, some time allotted to brainstorming and implementation of creative and innovative ideas will help make a successful person. Leadership: Imagine how well the President of Nigeria will direct the nation if he sleeps till mid-day and still stays up late to play some games every day- the outcome can only be imagined! The millions of decisions made by leaders have to be made in the same 24 hours as everyone else, and this can only be achieved with effective time management. Practical and Biblical Example of a Perfect Time Manager The Lord Jesus experienced enormous stress and pressure, yet it did not seem to disturb His peace of mind. In spite of opposition, constant demands and little privacy, His life reflected a calm sense of balance. What can we learn from the Perfect Time Manager? 1. Know who you are (John 8:12) - Eighteen times Jesus publicly defined himself. There was no doubt in His mind as to who He was. Trying to be someone you're not causes stress! 2. Know who you want to please (John 5:30) - Jesus never let the fear of rejection manipulate Him. No one can pressure you without your permission. You can't please everyone. Even God can't! 3. Set clear goals (John 8:14) - Jesus said, "I know where I came from and where I am going." Preparation prevents pressure but procrastination produces it. You work by either priorities or pressures. 4. Focus on one thing at a time (Luke 4:42-44) - Jesus knew how to handle interruptions without being distracted from His primary goal. 5. Don't try to do everything yourself (Mark 3:14) - Jesus enlisted twelve disciples. We get tense when we feel it all depends on us. 6. Make a habit of prayer (Mark 1:35) - No matter how busy Jesus got, he found time to get alone and pray. A daily quiet time is a great stress decompression chamber. 7. Take time to enjoy life (Mark 6:30-31) - Balance is the key to stress management. Work must be balanced with fun and worship. 2