The Best Time Management Tip I Have Ever Learned

The best time management tip I have ever learned I am still in the process of learning. Oh, I know it–I just don’t apply it as often as I should.

What is the best time management tip?

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Stop trying to be a “Jack of All Trades, Master Of None”

According to Wikipedia, ” ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ is a figure of speech used in reference to a person that is competent with many skills, but is not necessarily outstanding in any particular one.”

The phrase “Jack of all trades” was actually at one time considered a positive, but after the “master of none” was added it soon become a negative phrase.

I think the reason why was because in our modern world there are just so many more skills that we could develop. In our current day, we simply cannot become competent in all the areas that affect our lives.

When the phrase was created, there were no computers, there was no electricity, no indoor plumbing, no internet, no coupons, and on and on and on. Nowadays there are simply too many areas in our life to become competent in so we must instead choose those we will become masters of.

Being a master (or expert) in a skill takes time. Time researching, time practicing, time doing.

We are all given the same 24 hours a day seven days a week, not an hour more or an hour less. When we spend our time trying to do everything, we don’t have time to perfect our God-given talents.

Yes, You Have Talents

Yes, you have talents. I know what it feels like to wonder if you are truly talented in anything. I have just one single top-of-the-class reward in my 40 years of life, and it is in…wood working (grade 10). Not exactly a talent I use today.

It took me a long time to get beyond that voice in my head that says, “I am not number one in that so I guess I am not really talented…” Guess what–talent doesn’t mean that you come in first, talent means that it brings you joy, makes you come alive and your love of it makes you want to improve in it. Your zeal for the skill enriches not just you but those around you.

I use to think, “I am not an Olympian, so I really don’t have the talent to run.” True, but I do have the talent to inspire others to try. Talent to teach my children how. Talent to run marathons and use that time to pray and grow closer to God. Talent enough to run with a friend almost every Saturday who keeps me grounded and encourages me to try harder in other areas of life.

What areas of your life make you come alive? Those things are your areas of talent.

Make time for those things and stop trying to be an expert at the rest.

How To Make Time To Develop Your Talents

Now this doesn’t mean that you stop cleaning your house altogether because it doesn’t bring you joy to try out new methods of cleaning. There are some things that we just have to do whether we are talented in them or not.

However, it does mean if that area of your life that brings you passion should cause you to flourish financially, don’t think twice about spending money on a housekeeper so you have more time to develop your talent.

It does mean that you can stop stressing out about not having a home that looks like it jumped out of the pages of Better Homes & Gardens. Instead you can concentrate on how to streamline the housework so that it gets done to a livable standard–and you define that standard, not the super talented housekeeper next door who cleans her ceiling fans once a week.

(And yes, I realize some people LOVE housekeeping so if that is you, switch out the words about housekeeping in the last three paragraphs and put in something you loathe doing)

Set priorities for your time and those areas that bring you passion should get the most time.

When you do that, trust me–the passion will have an oozing effect and soon all those areas you hate to do, but can’t delegate (and please–delegate all you can) start to get done with less effort and more energy. You will come to realize that they don’t have to be done perfectly, they just have to be done good enough so that you can get back to working on your passion(s).

Instead of being a jack of all trades, master of none, become a master of all your talents and delegate and streamline the rest. When you do, you will discover a new passion for life.

Need a bit more help in separating what you are good at from what you are best at? Read The Best Yes: Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands