Redeeming Your Time

1. Start with the Word: Know the Author of Time

To redeem our time in the model of our Redeemer, we must first know the Author of time, his purposes for the world, and what he has called us to do with the time he has given us.

Understanding Time's Origin. To truly manage our time effectively, we must first understand its source and purpose. Time is a creation of God, and understanding His will for our lives is essential for prioritizing our activities. This involves immersing ourselves in Scripture and seeking to understand God's perspective on work, rest, and service.

Wilberforce's Transformation. William Wilberforce's life exemplifies this principle. His conversion led him to shift his focus from personal gain to abolishing the slave trade. This transformation was rooted in his understanding of God's will and his commitment to aligning his actions with divine purpose.

Daily Communion. Just as Jesus prioritized time with His Father, we must cultivate a daily practice of connecting with God through His Word. This practice is not merely about acquiring knowledge but about communing with the Author of time and gaining wisdom for stewarding our lives effectively.

2. Let Your Yes Be Yes: Honor Your Commitments

To redeem our time in the model of our Redeemer, we must ensure that our yes is yes from the smallest to the biggest commitments we make.

The Zeigarnik Effect. Uncompleted tasks create mental "open loops" that drain our focus and increase stress. By externalizing these commitments into a trusted system, we free our minds to be more present and effective. This principle is rooted in the Zeigarnik effect, which demonstrates how unfinished tasks tend to dominate our thoughts.

Commitment Tracking System (CTS). A single, reliable system is crucial for capturing and managing all our commitments. This system should be portable and sophisticated enough to handle the volume and complexity of our responsibilities. Tools like OmniFocus can be invaluable for this purpose.

Practical Implementation. The process involves collecting all open loops, defining the desired outcome, determining the next action, and deciding if it can be done in two minutes. If so, do it immediately; otherwise, add it to the appropriate list in your CTS. Regular maintenance of this system is essential for ensuring its effectiveness.

3. Dissent from the Kingdom of Noise: Embrace Silence

To redeem our time in the model of our Redeemer, we must fight to block out noise and create room for silence, stillness, and reflection.

The Kingdom of Noise. Modern life is characterized by an unprecedented level of noise, both external and internal. This constant barrage of information and stimulation hinders our ability to think clearly, be creative, and connect with God. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. recognized the importance of solitude and reflection amidst the chaos of the civil rights movement.

Five Ways Noise Limits Us. Noise limits our ability to think, be creative, cultivate depth, be at peace, and listen to God's voice. By reducing noise, we create space for essential activities that contribute to our overall well-being and effectiveness.

Practical Steps. Dissenting from the kingdom of noise involves several practical steps, including letting friends curate information, stopping swimming in infinity pools of content, choosing more filtered content, renouncing or attaining independence from social media, parenting your phone, getting comfortable with the crevices of your day, taking walks, writing to think, and putting the quiet back in quiet time.

4. Prioritize Your Yeses: Focus on What Matters Most

To redeem our time in the model of our Redeemer, we must decide what matters most and allow those choices to prioritize our commitments.

Purposeful Living. Jesus's life was marked by a clear sense of purpose, enabling Him to prioritize His activities and resist distractions. Similarly, we must identify our core values and align our actions with those values. Tamika Catchings's story illustrates the power of setting clear goals and prioritizing activities that support those goals.

Five Floors of Priority. To prioritize effectively, we must consider our mission, callings, long-term goals, quarterly goals, and projects/actions. This hierarchical approach ensures that our daily activities are aligned with our overarching purpose.

Practical Implementation. This involves accepting your mission, choosing your callings, setting epic long-term goals, drafting quarterly goals, refining your projects list and actions list, and locking posteriorities in the basement. By focusing on what truly matters, we can maximize our impact and avoid wasting time on less important activities.

5. Accept Your Unipresence: Embrace Focused Attention

To redeem our time in the model of our Redeemer, we must accept our unipresence and focus on one important thing at a time.

The Power of Depth. The ability to focus intensely on one task at a time is a superpower in today's distracted world. C.S. Lewis's productivity soared once he was free from constant interruptions. Depth allows us to produce higher-quality work and be more fully present in our relationships.

Five Enemies of Depth. External distractions, fake productivity, quick highs, savior complex, and makeshift omnipresence all hinder our ability to focus. Recognizing these enemies is the first step toward overcoming them.

Practical Strategies. Cultivating depth involves taking control of when you check messages, eliminating external distractions, scheduling deep-work appointments with yourself, and creating space for the shallows and serendipity. By accepting our unipresence, we can maximize our impact and avoid the pitfalls of multitasking.

6. Embrace Productive Rest: Recharge for Greater Impact

To redeem our time in the model of our Redeemer, we must embrace the God-designed rhythms of rest that are counterintuitively productive for our goals and our souls.

Rest as a Strategic Tool. In a culture that glorifies hustle, rest is often viewed as a luxury. However, rest is not merely a break from work but an essential component of productivity. Shay Cochrane's story illustrates how a good night's sleep can unlock creative solutions and drive business growth.

Three Rhythms of Rest. These include bi-hourly breaks, nightly sleep, and weekly Sabbath. Each rhythm serves a unique purpose in restoring our energy and enhancing our effectiveness.

Practical Implementation. This involves breaking well every other hour, creating an eight-hour sleep opportunity every night, and ceasing and feasting once a week. By embracing these rhythms, we can avoid burnout and sustain our efforts over the long term.

7. Eliminate All Hurry: Embrace Intentionality Over Haste

To redeem our time in the model of our Redeemer, we must embrace productive busyness while ruthlessly eliminating hurry from our lives.

Busy vs. Hurried. Fred Rogers's life exemplifies the difference between busyness and hurry. While he was incredibly productive, he maintained a sense of calm and presence that put others at ease. Hurry, on the other hand, is an inner condition that prevents us from being fully present.

Counting the Cost. To eliminate hurry, we must "count the cost" of our time, as Jesus advised. This involves creating a Time Budget that allocates time for essential activities and protects against overcommitment.

Practical Steps. This involves building a Time Budget template, adjusting your Time Budget in a daily review, and protecting your Time Budget with a unique approach to "no." By embracing intentionality over haste, we can live more like Jesus and fulfill our purpose with greater effectiveness.

8. The Gospel is Our Source of Rest and Ambition

A Christian is something before he does anything.

Gospel-Centered Productivity. The gospel frees us from the need to be productive, as our worth is not tied to our accomplishments. This freedom, paradoxically, fuels our ambition to serve God and others.

Good Works as Worship. We are created for good works that advance God's kingdom and glorify Him. This understanding transforms our work from a means of self-validation to an act of worship.

Eternal Perspective. The gospel provides a framework for understanding the purpose of our lives and the significance of our work. By aligning our actions with God's will, we can experience both peace and ambition in our pursuit of excellence.

9. God Will Finish the Work We Leave Unfinished

God doesn’t need you or me to finish our to-do lists. If the things on our to-do lists are on God’s to-do list, he will complete them with or without us.

Finite Time, Infinite Purpose. We will all die with unfinished symphonies, but God is able to bring eternal results from our time-bound efforts. This truth frees us from the pressure of perfectionism and allows us to focus on serving Him faithfully.

Co-laboring with God. God has invited us to co-labor with Him to build His eternal kingdom. Our work matters today because it is a means of glorifying God and loving our neighbors as ourselves.

Trusting in God's Sovereignty. God doesn't need us to complete our to-do lists. If the things on our to-do lists are on God's to-do list, he will complete them with or without us.

10. Theology Always Shapes Our Practices

Theology always shapes our practices.

Rooted in Belief. Our problems with time management are rooted in something much deeper than the wrong to-do-list systems or daily planners. Our problems are rooted in misconceptions of what we believe about work, time, and the role we have to play in God’s mission in the world.

Wilberforce's Example. Like William Wilberforce, the book you hold in your hands is extremely practical. But it will start out as one of the most theological. Why? Because, as Wilberforce understood, our persistent problems with time management are rooted in something much deeper than the wrong to-do-list systems or daily planners.

Theological Foundation. Our problems are rooted in misconceptions of what we believe about work, time, and the role we have to play in God’s mission in the world.

Last updated: March 7, 2025