The Time Crunch: My “Stop-doing” List

Jim Collins in his bestseller, Good to Great, advises people to not only keep a “to do” list but also a “stop doing” list. If we will liposuct (is that a word?!) the fat out of our schedules, we will be trim enough to follow God’s call. Here is some of my fat:

• T.V. Being a sports junkie, I can be as easily entertained by a college baseball game as by the World Series. Therefore, I must be selective on what and how I watch. If, for example, I want to watch a Twins baseball game, I start watching in the later innings so I won’t spend 3 hours watching a the game. Most of us would have time for what is truly important if we simply sliced our T.V. usage. In a recent survey, American households had the T.V. on for over 7 hours each day!
  
• Internet. The recent death of comedian George Carlin caused me to search YouTube for some of his routines. Soon I had spent over an hour listening to the good, the bad, and the vulgar humor of Mr. Carlin. It squeezed out my time of quiet with God.
  Furthermore, e-mail can bloat my life. Do I need to check my inbox daily? Is every e-mail worth reading or responding to? I often receive the following e-mail: “I don’t normally forward messages, but you have to read this one.” I very seldom open those messages.
  
• Phone. This was difficult for me. But if the phone is a constant interruption on a quiet evening with my wife, which is more important? With Caller ID's help, I now answer only the critical calls.
  
• Newspapers. I used to invest 30 minutes every morning reading the newspaper. But then I asked myself: Did I really need to know about the latest murder or natural disaster? Now I often let several days pile up and then read them all in 10-15 minutes.
  
• Kids’ activities. At some point I realized that I wouldn’t be arrested for missing one of my son’s ballgames! At times, there were more important tasks for me—spending time with one of his siblings, attending an adult Bible study, helping a friend.
  
• Shopping. On my way home, I feel the pull to stop at Menard’s even though I don’t really need anything. I am trying to avoid shopping unless I have a specific need.
  
• Job. In the last two decades, because parents are working more, children have lost 10-12 hours per week of time with their parents. How can you cut back? Take extra time off between jobs. Ask for more vacation—even if it must be unpaid. Don’t volunteer for overtime. Change jobs.

My grape vines are constantly sending out side shoots which will only sap the strength of the main vine. The result? Small, bitter fruit. Similarly, my life tends to sprout in every conceivable direction. If I don’t make a regular practice of pruning it, I won’t enjoy the abundant harvest God has planned for me.