Redeeming My Time

Lysa TerKeurst is hosting an organizational tip swap at her blog today. I really wanted to participate, but I had a hard time finding anything that was worthy of posting.

But as I searched, I did come up with three things I wanted to share. The first two are quotes that I believe are key to a well-organized home and have become mantras for me:

1. "You can't organize clutter, you can only get rid of
it." - Fly Lady

2. "The more you own, the more
you are owned." - Old Japanese Proverb
(At least that was what I was told) : )

I was not born organized. In fourth grade, Mrs. Hall used to lovingly refer to me as her little "absent-minded professor." I spent many recesses inside at school cleaning out my desk, and the last day of school was always a nightmare as I tried to walk home carrying all I had accumulated in my desk throughout the school year.

My husband is very unsentimental about "stuff" and super organized. He was born with a gene I must have been lacking. Over the almost 9 years we have been married, he has taught me the value of letting go, giving away, and less is more. I have found so much joy in giving instead of hoarding.

Redeeming My Time:

The third tip I stumbled upon on accident today in my search for something great to post for this swap. : )

This tip has to do with organizing time. Time is so precious, but managing it well is the most difficult challenge I face as a stay-at-home mom. Time can be wasted so easily, and the biggest time-stealing culprit for me is the Internet.

I won't have to do this to my laptop now! : )

My laptop is a constant temptation. It opens, I fall in, and mysteriously, hours disappear. I love to learn, and the Internet is a limitless resource for learning. I have felt called to a writing/teaching/speaking ministry in the future, so a part of what I do online is read and study a lot of theologians and Christian authors and speakers in preparation for that ministry.

Today, I wanted to be able to clean and organize my home, hoping to stumble upon some hidden secret I could share on the blog swap. To free up time for myself, I decided to see if there was something online I could listen to instead of read. I found this WONDERFUL link:

http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/

From there, I was able to use my laptop to listen to some great radio programs and podcasts while I folded laundry and did dishes. As I moved to different rooms, my laptop went with me. Unlike listening to speakers on the radio, I could push pause anytime I needed, and I was able to listen to past broadcasts that interested me.

There are so many great speakers and programs on there like Kay Arthur, Beth Moore, Homemakers by Choice, Focus on the Family, Family Life Today, Proverbs 31 Ministries, etc.

By listening instead of reading, I was able to fill my Internet addiction, while still being effective in my homemaking. It doesn't completely cure my time-management dilemma, but it will help in redeeming my precious time. : )

I'm looking forward to visiting Lysa's site to see all of the organizational tips other bloggers will be sharing. You can click here to see them for yourself.

Here's to being organized! : )

Tweet

Pin It