It’s nearly April 15th…and you know what that means- TAXES! Got yours in? No, we are not talking about tips for filing your 2022 return today- although if you follow the principles we teach on the REDEEM Her Time Podcast you undoubtedly already got yours done because you had a plan and time blocked it and a way to be held accountable…right?
Either way, when it comes to TAXES, there are 2 things that make most women shudder- AUDITS + FORMS…and we do everything we can to stay as far away as possible. But today on the podcast, I’m gonna share with you how AUDITS + FORMS are actually good and something you should embrace when it comes to your TIME, especially if you’re wanting to keep it from getting away from you.
Let me explain…
Hey friend, I do hope you already got your taxes filed, or you have a time block already on your calendar in the next day to finish or that you have a really good tax guy or gal who will file an extension on your behalf…and I just wanna say if you’re in the last 2 categories, I get it…
Cuz we tend to put off what we don’t want to look at. (Aka how much you owe, right?)
I’m no tax advisor, although we do address finances as part of STEWARDSHIP in the Life Planning part of the REDEEM Her Time Coaching Program, but I can give you this free piece of advice. Ready for it?
In order to keep as much of your money in your wallet (instead of the government’s) you need to know exactly where it’s going and how to make the best use of what you have.
Like I said, that advice is free, so take it or leave it…but the same principle applies to your TIME as well.
How often do you feel like your time keeps getting away from you? Like there’s some cosmic vacuum that keeps sucking it up into who-knows- where?
I get it.
I’ve spent plenty a day running from one demand or distraction to the next spending my time in all sorts of places, only to crash at the end of the day and wonder where it all went and what return on investment I even got.
Which brings up another free piece of advice- When it comes to your resources (aka time, money, energy, etc.) focus on INVESTING over SPENDING.
Spending just takes it out – out of your calendar, your account, your battery- and puts it in someone else’s…or into oblivion never to be seen again.
But investing wisely puts time, money and energy in- into things that will produce a return and give you back more…maybe not overnight, but those aren’t the kinds of investments you want to engage with anyway if you’re looking to build long-term results that will last longer than you into eternity.
As believers, our TIME is a gift from God to be used to build His Kingdom.
In John 4:9 Jesus reminds his followers after healing a man, “We must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
What does that mean for us as Christian women since we’re obviously NOT Jesus? It means that we have been given a mission from God and we’ve been given the moments in which to do them- and one day, this life will be no more, so that’s why we use our time well now. As long as He gives us life and breath, we are to be His light in this world. And we know that if we are His, that one day we will spend eternity with Him basking in His eternal light in heaven.
So I gotta ask- where are you INVESTING your time?
Maybe you’re like me and would prefer to keep your head in the sand so that you’re in oblivion to where your resources are going- cuz that way you don’t have to face the facts or do something about them.
Now, I hope you know me well enough by now that this temptation does NOT relate to my time, but rather to my money- that’s why STEWARDSHIP is my top priority this quarter which includes setting up a weekly and monthly budgeting and tracking system so it’s all accounted for. You are welcome to hold me accountable to that…or join me! Just let me know inside our community.
But sadly, this I-don’t-know-where-it-all-goes mentality is often what’s true about your TIME…no wonder you feel like it’s always getting away from you.
Instead of ostriching, let’s commit to facing it head on so we can take responsibility and ownership of our current results and seek the LORD’s direction and discernment for how to honor Him with our time. You with me?
If I want to apply this to my FINANCES, I need to run after audits and forms. And if you want to apply this to your TIME, you need to run after these too.
So let’s keep this conversation going with the parallel between our money and time because the same principles apply to both…and perhaps you need help with both too.
Here are 2 Key Time Management (and Stewardship) Tips to Keep Time (and Money) from Getting Away from You…ready to take notes so you can take action?
Great, let’s start with the example of money cuz I’m sure we’re all familiar with that scenario and then apply it to our time. Sound good?
- COMPLETE A TIME AUDIT. What’s the one thing you do not want to hear from your Tax guy or gal (or an IRS agent)? That you are being audited. Sadly, we’ve equated an audit with a bad thing, but really it’s not. Let’s start with what an audit is and how it actually IS a good thing.
Audit (n): an official inspection of an individual’s or organization’s accounts, typically by an independent body, a systematic review or assessment of something.
That second definition doesn’t sound so harrowing, does it? Technically, the first one shouldn’t either if you understand the what and the how.
It’s just an inspection, a way to see what’s going in and out of your account (whether that’s your time bank, money bank or energy bank).
I can login to my bank account online at any time and see exactly how much money I have in my balance. And if I want to see where it’s been going, I can click on that account to see the deposit and withdrawal transactions. I can also do the same with my credit card statement. And whether I like it or not, I can add up the Amazon or Itunes charges and see how much money is going out to those expenses. (or if you’re like my hubby who just walked in, how much went to candy and beverages at Dollar General or Rural King- love ya babe!)
The purpose of an inspection is to determine your present condition.
So here’s how you do a time audit- you simply write down where your time goes. It’s really not that hard and doesn’t take a bunch of extra time like I’ve had some people share keeps them from doing one (too bad, cuz when you don’t know where your time is going, you just keep wasting it so you don’t have time NOT to).
You can just keep a notebook next to you all day to record your time spent or print out a fillable calendar to record your time use in 30 min increments. You are welcome to do it for just a day, but I highly recommend auditing an entire week so you can see the flow over several days. And there’s something about horizontally seeing the entire week at a glance that says more than just a vertical written list.
And I love the seemingly insignificant line that you might have missed in that first definition…did you hear it? By an independent body. That means it’s best done by someone who is not emotionally attached to the outcome or who will not benefit in any way by the findings, good or bad.
Hence, IRA agents.
Now, I’ve never been one, or met one, but I can tell you one thing about them…they just see the numbers. While you may think they’re drawing all kinds of conclusions about you and what a horrible person you are for not being organized, they’re thinking about you less than you think… if at all! They see so many numbers coming across their screen that they’re just focused on the facts. Cuz the numbers don’t lie. And the numbers don’t mean anything unless you let them. (we’ll get to what they mean in just a min)
So when it comes to having your time audit completed by an independent body, you basically have 2 options…
Option 1- Do It Yourself. If you choose the DIY route, you have to pretend you’re that IRS agent- you’re just reporting the facts, not how it makes you feel (at least not yet). Just track your time and follow my rule of no shame, no stories. You may even find that by writing down where your time goes, you’ll think twice about how you’re spending it, and probably make better choices- wink, wink. (The same is true if you have to write down where every dollar is going like with the Every Dollar Budget from Dave Ramsey– that’s what I recommend. You can go to everydollar.com to learn more.)
If you do do it yourself, then it’s on you to block off time after the 7 days of tracking to honestly answer 3 questions:
- What do you NOTICE?
- How does it FEEL to SEE it?
- What do you most want to CHANGE or IMPROVE?
NOW you can make those numbers or times mean something that will move you towards being a better steward of your time. But promise me you’ll give yourself grace and not self-sabotage…otherwise you’ll be tempted to run from accountability and end up worse off than you were.
Or if you’re like me (and most women) and you’re tempted to put things off, fudge a few facts, draw unproductive conclusions, or not follow through completely, you’ll want the next option…
Option 2- Do it Together. Someone else always makes the process more enjoyable and keeps us honest. Plus if you truly want to grow, you’ll welcome an independent body’s objective input and advice. I don’t know about you, but the times when I’ve invited a specific friend who I know won’t let me off the hook or better yet a coach who I’m paying to make sure I’m successful, I get so much more out of it so much faster. Cuz someone else can help you see your blindspots, help you change your mindset and help you make lasting changes…if you let them.
So which option will you choose? If you choose to do it together, you can either join the REDEEM Her Time Community and find an accountability partner who is committing to the same thing or better yet, join the REDEEM Her Time Group Coaching Program kicking off April 20th, cuz then you get me too!
Since the doors are closing next week (and the flash sale starts this week) mind if I give it a shameless plug here and now?
After laying the foundation in your heart of WITH-God Life Planning in the 8 key areas of your life, we then turn to your calendar and figure out how to make it fit with the season you’re in when it comes to your time. We not only complete a time audit, but we then go into the second key we’re talking about today and much more as we build time blocks, habits, routines and rhythms that are personalized to what matters to you and what God is calling you to in this season. Plus, we’ll put together a tool box for how to handle distractions, obligations, expectations…all the things that typically get you off track with your great intentions.
Consider me your friendly IRS agent who will not only help audit your time, but help put more of it back in your account. Would you like that kind of support?
SHHH- This isn’t public knowledge yet, but since you’re my LYLAS and you’re listening today, I’ll give you the Flash Sale Promo code- just enter FLASH20 at checkout and get 20% off the already ridiculously low early bird pricing. The link to learn more and register is at redeemhertime.com/coaching.
Ok, so let’s pretend you have completed your TIME AUDIT (hopefully we’re did it together)- now it’s time for Key #2-
2. BUILD A TIME TEMPLATE. If you really want to do this and do it well, go join the group coaching program cuz that way you’ll have my entire system + full support, but if you’re the DIY girl who’s trying to duct tape things together, I’ll share a few quick pointers. (I just wanna say I see you girl and know how you feel cuz I was that girl before too, always listening to podcasts and reading books and trying to put all the pieces together myself…until I finally invested in myself by getting a specific program and a specialized coach and you know what I found… it was a way better return on my investment and actually saved me time, money and energy that I thought I was saving by doing it myself! I just wish I had figured that out sooner!)
Anyway, if you’re doing it alone or just want a preview of the next piece of the coaching program, the next step is to build a modular ideal weekly template. Again, I highly recommend using a week-at-a-glance format so you can see how it flows and fits together (and by the way, I’ll give you mine for free in the program). Ask yourself the question, if I could wave a magic wand, what would I want my ideal week to look like? (Now before you hit stop cuz you know there’s no such thing as an ideal week, hear me out first- you’re right. Although no week will ever go 100% according to plan, I can guarantee that by having a plan, you will execute way more of it than you would just keeping it all in your head or leaving it to chance…do you trust me?)
So here’s what I want you to do- build your ideal week on paper.
Yes, your ultimate ideal week may be sipping fizzy drinks by the pool with the waves crashing on the beach just beyond you…but we’re talking in your real everyday life. What would you ideally like your week to look like so that you give attention to who + what matters most and what’s in alignment with what God has for you in this season?
Here’s where it’s essential to have laid the WITH-God Life Planning Foundation we start with inside the coaching program cuz you’ll come out with your Top 8 Priorities that need to live in your week in order to be balanced and growing in all 8 key areas of your life (and if hearing that overwhelms you, let me just say that by not giving those areas attention now, just know that one day they will demand your attention…and it will always cost you more time- and money- then. So stop making excuses about why you can’t fit it in.)
Inside the program we’ll not only build your ideal weekly template using my 2 + 3 Time blocking Method, but you’ll also learn what to put into each of those blocks to eliminate 95% of your to-do list and never feel like you don’t have enough time for it all! But those secrets are locked up in the program so you gotta grab a spot to unlock them and get my personalized support to help you implement. What I teach you inside the REDEEM Her Time Coaching Program is a framework you will use for making the best use of the time you have for the rest of your life! And you get lifetime access so you can keep coming back to audit your Life Plan and Time Plan to adjust to your current season of life and any new demands or distractions that come your way. That’s a wise investment my friend- especially with early bird pricing and the flash sale code. I hope you were listening earlier. Ahem- FLASH20-ahem.
Then once you build your time template, you test it and tweak it.
Cuz until you put it into your real world, you don’t know how it will work or what needs to be adjusted. And when you’re a student inside the program you’ll not only be armed with a new schedule, you’ll be equipped with a new mindset around your time and how it matters in light of eternity. Plus you’ll get my eyes on where your time is getting stuck or where it feels stressful so we can move things around to make it just right.
Speaking of which, as you test and tweak, you’ll definitely move things around- that’s why it’s called a template. It’s just a framework that’s modular so you can put the pieces together that work for you and build the life you and God are dreaming of together.
Creating a FORM gives a place for all the important pieces to go.
In case you missed the connection to our tax return illustration, your TIME TEMPLATE is just like a BUDGET FORM- it’s where you lay out where you want your valuable resources to be going.
So there you have it- Complete a TIME AUDIT and Build a TIME TEMPLATE. AUDITS + FORMS aren’t so scary, now are they?
I pray you get your return in on time and next year file it ahead using the Project Planning System I teach inside the REDEEM Her Time Coaching Program (hint, hint).
But before we go, I want to remind you of one thing- ultimately we don’t control our time.
Now before you throw up your hands in surrender and say why even bother, let me share this important truth with you…
Proverbs 16:9 reminds us, “In their heart a man (or woman) plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.”
And I love that the writer uses the word LORD for God- that’s translated YAHWEH which is His covenant name. The one that says I invite you to do life WITH me. The name that is the EMMANUEL PRINCIPLE. God WITH us.
So yes, while completing an audit and building a template may not turn out exactly as YOU plan, do it WITH God…or better yet, put that ideal time template in His hands, and He will establish it (aka make it more sturdy and lasting)…
and here’s the thing- His ways are ALWAYS better. Amen?
Dear LORD-
Thank you that you are God WITH us. Thank you that you know all of our days before even one of them came to be. Thank you that You hold our time in your hands. And thank you that you have given us a mission to fulfill in this moment while we still have life and breath on this earth. Help us to number our days aright and gain a heart of wisdom. Show us where our time is going for your glory and where it’s going that may be taking away from it. Give us the discernment to know where we should invest our time to accomplish what you have called us to in this season. And remind us that You are the one who establishes our ways and is building your kingdom here on earth so that we can enjoy it forever with you in heaven one day. May you help us redeem our time and make the best use of it because our days are in your hands. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
OOH girl… that got me super excited about the REDEEM Her Time Group Coaching Program that kicks off in just over a week…If you’re listening to this in real time, go right away to redeemhertime.com/coaching for all the details and to grab your spot before it’s gone at early bird pricing. And don’t forget to use the code FLASH20 to get 20% off too!
Thanks for joining me for this episode and until next time, remember…
You DO have ALL the time you need to do what He has called you to in this season and in light of eternity…
Follow His example to create a rightly ordered schedule and a rightly ordered heart.
Cuz you are here for Such a Time as This.
Visit the REDEEM Her Time Website https://redeemhertime.com
> Grab a spot for the REDEEM Her Time Coaching Program
> Join the REDEEM Her Time Community (did I mention it’s FREE?!)
> Schedule a free 15 Min Strategy Session
> Submit a question or comment
>>> or DO ALL-THE-ABOVE!
