Originally published Monday, 05 December 2016.
www.insideoutwithcourtnaye.org
Are you ready to have a great week? If so, then it will start with creating a good schedule. And it really doesn’t matter when you’re reading this particular post. Whether it’s Monday (when my blog comes out @ 7:30am on www.insideoutwithcourtnaye.org or Facebook Page) or Wednesday, the point is that God wants you to have some order to your work week. And creating a good schedule for yourself will not only help you to stay focused on the task at hand, but also help you be more productive.
Proverbs 21:5 states, “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.” That is why it is so important for you to plan ahead of time to get whatever you need to get done in this season, sis.
You only have 24 hours in a day and there is only one you! Right? Right. So let’s talk about how to be more productive with the time that you do have within your week to get things done. Amen! Okay, so let’s get started…
- Grab a clean sheet of paper, a good pen, and start writing down everything that you can think of that needs to be done for the rest of this week. You can even draw a BIG circle in the middle of the page (like an outline or brainstorming method) and draw several lines outside of it to list everything that needs to go into making your schedule. Then break it all up into a daily To-Do-List.
- The To-Do-List: When you are creating a good schedule. You have to have a good list. Write down all that you need to accomplish in your day. And here’s a quick tip. The key to staying on task with your schedule and being more productive, will be highlighting or making your priorities SUPER evident! Personally, I like to write next to each high priority task, HP1, HP2, HP3, and so forth (five is my limit, because everything is NOT a high priority). So whatever your priorities are for today (or tomorrow if you’re reading this post at night), make it very known that these are your priorities that MUST be done. Once you get those babies checked off, you’ll be screaming an amazing, “It’s done! Thank You Jesus!”
- Next up are your goals for the week. Not the month! Take it one bite at a time, sis. Otherwise, you will overwhelm yourself, again. Sure. I get that there are various goal periods (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly). But in this post, we’re talking about how to create a good schedule, not a good projection. Let’s stay focused. ;-)
- If you’re married or have kids, you cannot forget about them. I hate to say this, but pencil them in on your calendar if you have to, because guess what? When you are super busy, trust me, you just might forget about dinner! I know all about it. So list them into your daily schedule.
- Where is your devotional time? Make sure that you place it on your schedule. Spending time with the Lord is so vital to being productive in your life as a Christian woman and for getting things done. Remember, Jesus said, “Apart from me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) That means nothing. You can’t have good delicious godly fruit (character) without Him, or do what God is calling you to do successfully without studying, meditating, and obeying the Word (Joshua 1:8). So make sure that you make this a High Priority. ;-)
- Write out your schedule before you go into the next day (if you can). For instance, if it’s Sunday, write it out for Monday. If it’s Monday, write it out for Tuesday and so forth. This will help you to go into your day, ready!
- Block your time. For example, from 6am-7am, it’s devotion time (NOTE: You can do devotion at whichever time the Lord leads you to do so, this is only for demonstration, because I know every woman’s schedule differs). But block your time within your schedule if you can. Type it up or write it up, but it’s a great way to stay on task and be more productive. My friend taught me this and a lot of other things through her expertise in managing your schedule and life well. She truly is a Life Management Coach. And I don’t mind sharing her with you. Check out her company by visiting marilynpowell.com. You will be blessed, motivated, and super-efficient! Reach out!
- Don’t forget to exercise! You need energy sister-friend! (Oh, and drink water, eat healthy, and take a good multivitamin). Let’s pray for each other in this area.
- Which brings me to prayer. Once you create your daily and weekly schedule, pray over it. Just simply lift it all up to God. Because ultimately, He knows what you need to do for that day and week. And God willing, you’ll get what needs to get done, done. Two of my favorite Scriptures concerning what He calls me to do are found in Proverbs 16:3 and 9, “Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed…We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”
I pray that this post has ministered to you in some way and helps you create a good schedule this week. I want to invite you to also join me tomorrow night, Tuesday, December 5, 2016 @ 8:30pm (CST) LIVE on Facebook (NOTE: If you haven’t already done so, “LIKE” my ministry page so you can watch the video on Inside Out with Courtnaye). I’ll be talking with women across the globe about “Creating Your Vision for 2017.” I call it, “Let’s Talk” which happens every 1st Tuesday of each month. This month, I’ll be asking brainstorming questions to help you think and write down what God has placed on your heart to work on or do in 2017. Don’t Miss It! Talk to you soon!
Remember, Jesus is coming back soon! And those who endure unto the end shall be saved. So let’s be ready from the Inside Out!
~Courtnaye
ALSO, just want to encourage you to grab my NEW book, “IDENTIFIED: Knowing Who You Are in Christ & Moving Forward in Your Purpose!” ORDER IT TODAY right here on Amazon.com! And if you already have it and have read it, please give me a REVIEW on Amazon.com. Thanks so much in advance.
*Tune in every Monday at 7:30am for new posts, “Like” my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/InsideOutWCourtnaye), and follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/InOutwCourtnaye. Also, share this blog with friends, family, co-workers, or your women’s group or ministry. I’d love to stay connected and help more women grow in the Lord! Thanks again and may God be with you!