Time: The Ultimate Nonrenewable Resource

I stayed up to late last night–again. It was for a good cause. I’ve been working an inordinate number of hours, so Nancy and I stayed up after I got home from a meeting at 9:30 pm. We talked and watched a couple episodes of our favorite Netflix show, Heartland. When we looked at the clock it was 12:14 am. That meant if we were going to get eight hours of sleep, we would need to be in bed until at least 8:14 am. Of course, that wasn’t going to happen, so we cheated our sleep hours and got up at 6:30, which is one of the reasons why this post is late.

As we’ve considered the changing of seasons the last couple of days, we’ve focused on reflecting on time and planning our time. Those habits are crucial to our growth, as is living our time effectively. While staying up until 12:14 am with one’s spouse is a good thing, in the overall scheme of things, it isn’t the best thing. Once in a while, such an activity may be necessary, but when it becomes a habit, it means failing to take the greatest advantage of our time our ultimate non-renewable resource. So many times over the years, I’ve read someone’s post or article about choosing the best over the better or the good, and said, “Amen.” I know how important that choice is for living a life that is effective.

But then again, to know and not to do is really not to know. How many times can a leader say, “I know,” while not doing what he or she “knows,” and really claim to know whatever the piece of knowledge is supposed to be. As I’ve said to myself and others so many times Information – Application = Information, but Information + Application = Transformation. As we read and even write leadership advice the key question becomes, “When am I going to apply what I’m reading or writing on a consistent basis in my own life?”

I love investing time with Nancy and I need to do it. It is a Quadrant II activity, and my marriage grows when I do it. That is a good thing, a great thing. But. There’s often a but after such statements in my life it seems. But, as good and even great as it is to invest time with Nancy, in the grand scheme, I need to make sure I’m doing that great activity in a timely manner. Last night I needed to connect with Nancy. I could have done that and then gone to bed at 10:00 or 10:30 pm. That would have meant getting up at 6:00 or 6:30 (as I did), but being well-rested and being better equipped to live today effectively. To be sure, I’ll live today effectively, but not as effectively as if I were well-rested. And missing out on a couple hours of sleep isn’t a rare occurrence for me, I do it often.

That means there’s a cumulative effect. Conventional wisdom might say, “Yes, but think of all the extra hours of time you’re getting by not ‘wasting’ them on sleep.” Indeed, we often applaud those who sleep only 4-6 hours a night and “maximize” their time. Time is a nonrenewable resource, so we pat folks on the back for living 18-20 hours a day rather than only 16-17. The fallacy in that kind of thinking as we’ve mentioned in previous posts is over time those “extra” hours of awake time are gained at the expense of our long term physical and mental health, as well as our spiritual health.

Once again, as I’m encouraging you to make the most of the time, by getting enough rest, I’m talking to myself first. While getting enough rest is viewed by many as a “waste” of time, it’s part of “sharpening the saw,” of ensuring that our most important tools: our bodies, souls and spirits, are sharp, renewed and refreshed as we plan and live each day. I’m feeling a little groggy right now, even as I’m being productive with my time. I apologize that this post is getting to you later than usual. I typically write my posts the day before their posted so those of you who are effective with your time and get up early can include reading them in your morning routine. I’m investing some time today in big picture planning once again, because I’m seeing my effectiveness waning a bit, and I’m living with more “spontaneity.” I put spontaneity in quotes, because that’s a euphemism for lack of planning.

Again, spontaneity can be a great thing. When I have planned effectively and have margin in the area of time in my life, spontaneous opportunities add spice and fun. On the other hand, when I’ve failed to plan and have no margin, spontaneous opportunities present one more challenge to managing my time and my life effectively. In order to lead as effectively as possible, we must start with leading ourselves, and that always starts with  planning and living our time in ways that maximize them to God’s glory and our gain. As we do that, those we lead will also gain, because our investment of time in the matters of life that matter most will mean they receive the maximum benefit from our lives, too.

Here’s to leading better by maximizing our ultimate nonrenewable resource–time–today!

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