The problem of time management consistently ranks among men’s top concerns, so much so that it has earned the #64 spot on my list of 70 things every man needs to know. We feel rushed, overloaded, and unable to find enough time for everything we should or would like to do.

Every man receives the same 168 hours each week. Martin Luther had 168 hours. Abraham Lincoln had 168 hours. Bill Bright had 168 hours. You and I have 168 hours too.

So perhaps the issue isn’t a lack of time. Perhaps the issue is deciding what deserves our time. Moses prayed, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12, NIV).

Wise men learn to count their days before they spend them.

I once heard Bill Bright, who started the ministry Cru, make a staggering statement, and I wrote it down word for word: “I try to prioritize everything I do in light of the Great Commission.” I assumed he meant preaching to thousands, leading a global ministry, or meeting with influential leaders.

Then one evening I watched him spend more than an hour with one struggling man while a room full of important people waited. That surprised me. I realized then that he hadn’t become influential by doing dramatic things. He’d become influential by faithfully doing many little things in one direction, one person at a time.

That’s worth thinking about because it demonstrates that our problem with time management is less a problem of tips and techniques and more a problem of strategy. Said another way, the solution is not figuring out how to do more, but rather how to determine which things deserve doing in the first place.

Over the years, four ideas have reshaped the way I think about time. None are complicated, but all have changed how I make decisions and manage my time.

1) Don’t give yourself to people who don’t absolutely need you at the expense of those who do.

Military medics use triage to determine who needs immediate attention. We need a little personal triage too. Ask yourself:

• Who cannot flourish without me?
• Who has God entrusted to my care?
• Who would be hurt if I’m continually absent?

One practical question I’ve found especially helpful is this: Who’s going to be crying at my funeral? Those relationships deserve unusual protection.

Many men spend enormous energy meeting the demands of people who will barely remember them in a year, while neglecting their wife, children, close friends, or their walk with God. Urgent does not always mean important.

2) Delegate to others what they should and can do.

Early in my career I decided only to do things I do well. That helped keep me working in areas of competence. But later I learned something else: Just because I can do something well doesn’t mean it’s the best use of my time. Some men are exhausted because they insist on carrying responsibilities others could carry, often much more effectively.

Delegation isn’t laziness. Delegation can be stewardship.

3) Learn to distinguish opportunity from distraction.

Most distractions arrive disguised as opportunities. If they didn’t, we would ignore them immediately. But when we’re not sure who we are or what God wants from us, anything—or everything—can look important.

When that happens, we start saying yes to more than we can handle. But every “yes” means saying “no” something else. And the people who often pay the highest price are those we love most.

The solution is to make our decisions based on priorities, not pressures. Knowing what to exclude is just as important as knowing what to include. Author Al Ries said it best, “Focus is the art of exclusion.”

4) Recognize the difference between a good idea and a God idea.

I’ve made plenty of plans throughout my life and then asked God afterward to bless them. My sequence looked something like this:

• I tell God what I’m going to do.
• God responds.
• I beg Him to let me do it anyway (followed by silence).
• Eventually I listen.
• God shows me what He is going to do.

Painful experience has taught me to pray and then plan.

Nothing wastes more time than having to undo what never should have been done in the first place. And we don’t just lose time; we can lose money, energy, and sometimes relationships. Prayer before commitment saves enormous amounts of time afterward.

I’ve also learned there is a difference between efficiency and effectiveness. As Peter Drucker put it: “Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.”

A man can become highly efficient at things that ultimately don’t matter very much. Busyness is not proof of fruitfulness.

A Question Worth Asking

Finally, there is one question every man should ask when thinking about time: Am I investing any of my time in things that will last forever?

Careers matter. Responsibilities matter. Providing matters. But at the end of life, much of what consumes us stays behind.

People, however, endure. The human soul endures. And few investments compound over time like discipling another person. Part of wise time management is making space for things with eternal value. That starts in our homes, extends to our friendships, and creates space to be salt and light to the people God places in front of us each day.

The goal of time management is not merely to become productive men. The goal is to become faithful men.

God always provides enough time to accomplish what He wants us to do. The challenge is deciding whether we will faithfully spend our time on what matters most.

Always on your side,

Pat

For Reflection and Discussion

• Heart (Reflection): Where do you currently feel rushed, overloaded, or perpetually behind? What might God be showing you through that pressure?
• Head (Understanding): What is the difference between being efficient and being effective? Which one has dominated your life recently?
• Hands (Application): What is one commitment, habit, or responsibility you could delegate, reduce, or eliminate so you can give more attention to what matters most?