Do you know that feeling?
At the end of a day, when you pause for a moment, you ask yourself: “What did I actually do all day?” Often you have to honestly admit that you did not use the time God has given you the way you actually should. The solution for this is productivity.
What exactly is productivity?
For us as Christians, productivity is not merely an option to improve our lives. It is rather obedience to the command of Scripture:
“Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.”(Colossians 4:5)
But what exactly does productivity mean? Tim Challies defines it in his book “Do More Better: A Practical Guide to Productivity” (EBTC 2021) as follows:
“Productivity is effectively stewarding my gifts, talents, time, energy, and enthusiasm for the good of others and the glory of God.”
That means: it is about using our resources as well as possible to honor the One who gave them to us. But what does that look like practically?
The Power of Habits
Often the changes we need to make are not enormous. Rather, it is about making small adjustments over a longer period of time – that is, changing our habits. Habits are “usual behaviors” that have arisen because we have repeatedly acted the same way under similar circumstances.[1]
Perhaps you reach for your phone before going to sleep and therefore go to bed too late, or you keep postponing things you actually should do. The Shulammite says in Song of Solomon 2:15:
“Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards.”
And that applies in a figurative sense to our habits too: it is the little foxes that spoil the vineyard. We must therefore (1) notice them, i.e. become aware of which bad habits have crept in, and (2) try by God’s grace to break with these habits. Often it is these small changes that make a big difference over time.
Our Vision and Calling
Jesus speaks to his disciples:
“My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”(John 4:34)
It is good to pause from time to time – to step back from the noise of everyday life and look at the bigger picture afresh: Why am I actually here? What is God’s plan specifically for my life? Am I using the gifts entrusted to me by God? When we look honestly and compare our current path with what God has prepared for us, we often recognize where correction is needed. A clear vision provides orientation. It helps us to make decisions in line with God’s will and reminds us again and again of what ultimately matters: to honor Him with our lives.
Intention and Mindfulness
To use our time well, it is also important to (1) regularly reflect on how we are currently using our time, and (2) deliberately set our direction for what we want to do with the time given to us.
Regarding reflection, Jonathan Edwards wrote in his famous 70 Resolutions:
“Resolved: to ask myself at the end of every day, week, month, and year wherein I could possibly, in any respect, have done better.”[3]
It is a healthy and helpful practice – also with regard to productivity – to ask oneself at the end of the day: “How did I use my time today? Where did I waste time?”
In this way we learn from our mistakes and can do better the next day.
But not only reflection is decisive, but also intention. Making oneself consciously aware of what one wants to do with the free hours – or the whole day – protects against drifting along or being easily distracted. A clear intention often increases our productivity, because we concentrate more purposefully on one thing.[4]
It can help to roughly structure the day or to orient oneself in the morning: “What is on the agenda today? What is important to me?”
This does not mean that everything must proceed exactly according to plan – when the LORD leads things differently, one should naturally follow. But such a structure can still help.
If it helps you, you can also write down your daily plan – whether in a notebook, planner, or digital calendar.
Conclusion
Each of us has only a limited amount of time on this earth. We should strive to use it for the glory of God and the good of our fellow human beings. May the Lord help us in this!
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. (Eph 5:15–16)
Footnotes:
[1] Merriam-Webster Dictionary – Habit
[2] Wikipedia – Habit
[3] The 70 Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards
[4] On the disadvantages of multitasking: American Psychological Association – Multitasking: Switching Costs.