What the Bible Says About Time Management

When I teach my life skills class at Glory House, the women’s restoration home where I volunteer, one of the lessons that we spend the most time on is time management. We typically park on this topic for at least a couple of months. I think time management is an area that’s a universal struggle, as well as on ongoing one. This is probably an area where we will all always be working, growing and improving.

With all the life skills lessons there, we learn both the practical and the spiritual side of the topics. I teach how to practically apply skills that will help them to be successful if life. At the same time though, God has a lot to say about all of those same topics too. Today’s post is based off of our first lesson that we cover on time management, diving into what the Bible has to say about time and how we spend it and manage it.

When covering time management, I like to first identify that good time management is a scriptural concept. Below are some of the verses from which we can draw out some beneficial time management lessons (these are not the only verses on things pertaining to time…but a good sampling). Then after looking over what the Bible has to say, we can evaluate our own time management skills, which we’ll discuss how to do at the end of this post. 

Consider the following verses and think about what they might have to do with our time management or how they could be applied to how we spend our time.

“Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.” Colossians 4:5 (ESV)

“So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.” Ephesians 5:15-16 (NLT)

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters” Colossians 3:23 (NIV)

“So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 (ESV)

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Mark 1:35 (NIV)

“How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil. Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” James 4:14-17 (NLT)

“Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring.” Proverbs 27:1 (NLT)

Parable of the 10 Virgins-Matthew 25:1-13

“LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is.” Psalm 39:4 (NLT)

“Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” Psalm 90:12 (NLT)

Some of the themes I picked out from these verses:

• Make the most of your time and opportunities—use your time wisely
• Don’t spend your time aimlessly-plan ahead, prepare, & use self-discipline in your time management
• Be on guard for distractions that would steal your time
• Don’t spend your time aimlessly-plan ahead, prepare, & use self-discipline in your time management
• There are certain times and seasons for things, remembering seasons come and go
• Prioritization of time—put God as a priority
• Start your day with God
• Do what you’re supposed to do, when you’re supposed to do it—don’t put it off or procrastinate
• You don’t know what the future brings so don’t procrastinate
• Plan ahead—prepare for the unexpected
• Your lives are short and we don’t have much time on earth so we need to make the most of that time
  

Consider what these other verses have to say about procrastination, slothfulness, laziness, and/or being a sluggard (in other words…poor time management).

“Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.” Proverbs 6:6-11 (NIV)

“Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring riches. The son who gathers during summer is prudent; the son who sleeps during harvest is disgraceful.” Proverbs 10:4-5 (HCSB)

“The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.” Proverbs 12:24 (ESV)

“The slacker craves, yet has nothing, but the diligent is fully satisfied.” Proverbs 13:4 (HCSB)

“The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway.” Proverbs 15:19 (ESV)

“A lazy person is as bad as someone who is destructive.” Proverbs 18:9 (GNT)

“If you are lazy and sleep your time away, you will starve.” Proverbs 19:15 (CEV)

“Those too lazy to plow in the right season will have no food at the harvest.” Proverbs 20:4 (NLT)

“Despite their desires, the lazy will come to ruin, for their hands refuse to work.” Proverbs 21:25 (NLT)

“Laziness leads to a sagging roof; idleness leads to a leaky house.” Ecclesiastes 10:18 (NLT)

“Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.” Romans 12:11 (NLT)

“We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” Hebrews 6:12 (NIV)

**Read some Tips for Overcoming Procrastination here.

We will have to answer for how we spent our time

The Bible says we will have to stand before God one day and give an account of our actions. This includes how we spent our time.

“So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the LORD, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will confess and give praise to God.’” Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.” Romans 14:10-12 (NLT)

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NIV)

OK…so good time management is a scriptural concept…what now?

Now that we know that the Bible has A LOT to say about time management (and I only hit the surface!), we need to take stock and evaluate ourselves to see how we line up with the directions in scripture.

Take Some Practical Steps to Assess Your Time Management:

• First, monitor your time for an entire week.

To assess whether or not you are effectively managing your time, you first need to see how you are spending it. This is a lot like creating a budget—before you can set up a spending plan, you first need to see how much money you have available and where you are spending it and/or need to spend it. To do this with time, you need to start out tracking where you spend your time for an entire week. I have my students track this on a printed out Excel spreadsheet, but you could just as easily do this on a notepad or piece of paper. You’ll want to write down everything. I know it seems daunting, but it’s only for a week. You’ll need to write down everything because you will categorize it later.

• After you have tracked your time for a week, see if you can categorize and calculate how much time you spent on things.

For example… 40 hours at work, 15 hours of TV, 10 hours on phone/internet/social media, 7 hours getting ready, 55 hours sleeping, 5 hours traveling to work, 10 hours recreation/relaxation, 3.5 hours of quiet time, etc.

• Next, evaluate yourself by answering the following questions…

  • What surprised you?
  • What would you like to spend more time on?
  • Are there things you would like to spend less time on?
  • Are there any activities that you could delegate?
  • What were your time wasters?
  • Author, Peter Drucker has suggested that if you were to ask yourself (about the items on your list), “What would happen if this were not done at all?” and your answer was “Nothing would happen”, then those items are ones that can potentially be eliminated in order to save time.^[1] If this is the case for any of the items on your time monitor, what could YOU possibly eliminate that currently wastes time?

• Finally, there are a few more questions to consider to finalize your self-assessment…

  • In what areas are you currently successful with regard to time management?
  • Where are some areas where you need to improve?
  • List some steps you can take to improve.
  • After learning more about what the Bible has to say about time and managing it, what were some things that stood out the most to you and why?

Where is God showing you that you need to make some adjustments in your time management right now? Tell us about it by leaving a comment below.

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1. Drucker, Peter Ferdinand. The Effective Executive. New York: Harper & Row, 1967. ↑