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How are you REALLY spending your time?

It’s really easy to lose track of time. When you’re not in class or working, you have the rest of the day to use as you please. Whether it’s a pick-up flag football game on the intramural fields, a video game tournament, or a couple of hours on Netflix, time can get away from you.

Sometimes you sit down, determined to “study” and end up chatting with a friend, watching YouTube or scrolling through social media.

When I was in college, our campus ministry leaders challenged us to keep track of what we did every day for one week. It was meant to show us that despite our “busy schedules” we really did have a lot of time that was at our disposal to use. It was an eye-opening exercise for me, and I thought seriously about how I was using my time.

I’ve included an expanded template for you here to be able to chart your week. Don’t use it as a planner, writing down what you WANT to do at the start of each day. Instead, use it after the day is over. Just write down every day what you did, and how long you did it. When did you wake up? When were you in class? What did you do for those hours in between? Be honest and take a close look about how you’re really spending your time.

Time is precious. You don’t get it back once it’s gone.

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:15-16

If you want more tips on productivity and creating a healthy routine, check out the book!

Good Morning, Sunshine!

Waking up is hard to do. When summer winds down and fall slips into winter, the sun starts waking up later and later. It’s like it doesn’t want to get out from under the covers and face the day.

And neither do I.

I’ve always had a hard time waking up, especially in the throes of winter. Many a morning in high school, college, or after college, the same scenario plays out:
The alarm blares, I turn it off, and flip over to cocoon deeper in my covers. Inevitably, some kind person (one of my parents or roommates) harshly flips on the overhead light, and I bury my head in the pillow and groan. Too early.

Thankfully, I don’t have that problem anymore. Not because I outgrew it, but because I have a new way to wake up. When winter comes and the mornings are darker, I use a sunrise alarm clock. A half-hour before the alarm goes off, the clock emits a soft light, growing brighter and brighter until the time you want to get up. The alarm music (which is optional) also starts softly. By the time it goes off, I’m already rising out of sleep from the artificial sunrise in my room.

I wish I had tried it sooner, because it really does make waking up more pleasant. I don’t have to brace myself for the sudden harsh overhead light; instead, this soft glow lets my eyes adjust easily. It seems a lot cozier to wake up on a dark winter morning if I have that soft light.

Sunrise alarm clocks vary in cost, but my husband and I signed up for this one on our wedding registry and it has served us well. *I’m an affiliate with Amazon so if you end up trying this clock and use my link I’ll get a percentage of the sale. Whoohoo! But there are lots of other types, with varying price ranges, so check out what works best for you!

If you want more info about sleeping habits and tips, check out the book!