Managing Our Time by Taking Care of the Little Things First

Joseph B. Wirthlin was impressed with the thought that "this life is made up of little things." The little things in life also seem to be some of the most important things in life. In Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin's talk, "Little Things Are Important", he states, 

"The question is not one of managing time, but one of managing ourselves with the time we have. Each minute is a little thing and yet, with respect to our personal productivity, to manage the minute is the secret of success."

Joseph B. Wirthlin also talks about important relationships that we need to cultivate. Nurturing these relationships will aid us in our success.

Relationship with yourself:
We need to take care of ourselves first, before business. We need to take the time and care to be healthy and exercise. When you look at successful entrepreneurs in the world you will see that they have habits of exercise. Apple's CEO Tim Cook wakes up at 4:30 or 5am and works out before work. Starbucks President, Michelle Gaas, for over 15 years now sets her alarm for 4:30am to go running. Successful people know how important it is to take care of yourself first. They know that by working out, they are providing themselves with the extra energy and strength they need to get through the rest of the day and all of their labors.

Relationship with others:
Maintaining strong relationships with others can be difficult when we are focused on the tasks at hand but we need to remember "the simple courtesies" of life that are so important in regards to our relationships. We all could do better to compliment others more, offer words of encouragement, serve in anyway we can, and send a welcoming smile their way. I'm sure we could also, all acquire a little more patience towards others. Sometimes people will do things that frustrate us, sometimes people can be slow or annoying, but we can't allow ourselves to get impatient. Elder Robert D. Hales says it wonderfully when he states,

"Too often we pray to have patience, but we want it right now."

We need to possess patience. I will continue to pray to have more patience, and although I may not become the most patient person overnight, if I continue to work on being patient, I will slowly become a more patient person and capable of being patient with all men, no matter what.

Relationship with God:
Our relationship with our Father in Heaven is one of the most important relationships that we need to maintain. We can establish and enhance this relationship by praying to our Father each and everyday. And then be inspired by Him by reading the scriptures. Doing these two things are the best way to start a day.

"A morning prayer and an early search in the scriptures to know what we should do for the Lord can set the course of a day. We can know which task, of all those we might choose, matters most to God and therefore to us. I have learned such a prayer is always answered if we ask and ponder with childlike submission, ready to act without delay to perform even the most humble service. On many days, doing what matters most will not be easy. It is not supposed to be. God’s purpose in creation was to let us prove ourselves."-Henry B. Eyring, "This Day", LDS General Conference April 2007

Managing our time in this crazy world is very difficult. I struggle focusing at times because of my ADHD and it only makes things more difficult for me but I know that as long as we keep our priorities in line, everything will fall into place. If we always put God first and the other little, important things in our life, God will help us to accomplish every needful think. A lot of the time we tend to over-schedule ourselves and there are many tasks throughout the day that are not quite as "needed".

"One of the characteristics of modern life seems to be that we are moving at an ever-increasing rate, regardless of turbulence or obstacles. Let’s be honest; it’s rather easy to be busy. We all can think up a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. Some might even think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia—even during times of stress and fatigue. Because they unnecessarily complicate their lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives. It is said that any virtue when taken to an extreme can become a vice. Overscheduling our days would certainly qualify for this. There comes a point where milestones can become millstones and ambitions, albatrosses around our necks."

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Of Things That Matter Most", LDS General Conference October 2010

God will help us accomplish the necessary tasks as long as we put Him first. He loves us and we need to love Him more than anything else. We need to make Him our highest priority and by so doing, we can align the rest of our priorities as needed, and be capable of more than we thought possible. 

"Our priorities are most visible in how we use our time. Someone has said, “Three things never come back—the spent arrow, the spoken word, and the lost opportunity.” We cannot recycle or save the time allotted to us each day. With time, we have only one opportunity for choice, and then it is gone forever."

-Dallin H. Oaks, "Focus and Priorities", LDS General Conference April 2001