“Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
Fritter and waste the hours in an off-hand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way.”
-- Pink Floyd, “Time”
I suspect that most of us have found ourselves with some down time—we unexpectedly have to wait for someone or for something and sit around twiddling our thumbs. These days most can whip out their cell phones and check out Facebook or update their Twitter feed. But is there a better way to make use of your time? As a pastor, can you make better use of your time? Given your busy schedule, how can you maximize your productivity?
I have done several things to maximize my downtime. First, I always try to carry a book. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been out running errands and lose valuable time waiting in the dentist’s office, sitting in the car when my wife runs into the store for “just a minute,” or at the car dealer waiting for my car to be serviced. I noticed this pattern and decided to make better use of my time. Any time I leave the house, I always have a book, highlighter, and pencil in hand. If I find myself with some down time, I can pick up the book and read. Focused reading beats surfing the internet every time. Sure, I might find an interesting story on the web, but I personally find such reading ultimately unfruitful.
Second, I have discovered the benefits of audio books. My wife challenged me to expand my reading horizons—to read something else other than theology books. She encouraged me to read quality classic fiction. I found making time for this was difficult, but I figured out that I had about thirty minutes each day in the car that was basically unused. Sure, I could listen to some 80’s hair metal (those were the good ole’ days) or the news, but I have made better use of my time by listening to audio books. I have downloaded a number of inexpensive classic fiction books (from .99 to $2.99) and have greatly enjoyed listening to them in the car. Audiobooks has improved my listening skills and given me conversation points when meeting new people. I recently met a literature professor and we started talking about Mark Twain. Moreover, one of the benefits of reading good literature is improving your communication skills—speaking and writing. Most theological writing is notoriously poor, so a healthy diet of excellent prose can be the perfect elixir for sagging preaching or writing. And if I do find myself without a book, I can turn on my audiobook (it’s on my smart phone) and continue reading my latest book.
Time is precious—we receive each moment from God as a gift. Don’t waste time. You can never recover lost time. Use every minute as best as you can for the glory of God.