WRITE IT DOWN

And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.”

Habakkuk 2:2

A couple of weeks ago, I stumbled on a productivity tool that has improved the way I use my time. Guess what? It’s a to-do list. A few months ago, I mentioned that I wanted to improve my time management during a conversation with my friend. I wanted to ensure that adequate attention is given to my relationship with God, family, ministry, career, friends, personal development, and relaxation.

The to-do list on my phone has proven to be a useful tool in helping me get better with my time. A determination comes from seeing unchecked items, and I also derive a sense of fulfilment from checking tasks off the list. In Luke 14:28-32, Jesus spoke about the importance of planning. “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider…?”

Planning is a vital requirement for success, and it usually involves putting pen to paper or hands to a laptop or mobile device. Some ideas seem excellent in a person’s mind but end up as unrealistic when they are written. What are the things that you need to get done this week? Can you get a notebook and write them down? When you are done, put the list in a place where you can see it often. Let the desire to check the tasks off the list motivate you.

You can also go further and write down what you desire to accomplish within the next few years. It might seem like an effort in futility considering the uncertainty being experienced worldwide, but it is not. Writing helps you focus your mind. It doesn’t mean things would go exactly as planned, but it means you have a goal in sight. Having a goal in sight for me is far better than just going through the curves and tunnels of life without having an end-goal or vision.

Remember “True desire in the heart for anything good is God’s proof to you beforehand to indicate that it’s yours already.” So yes, write down the “things you desire to do within the next few years.”

Denzel Washington

Written for Perspectives by Iremide Akinsola