Managing Time and Staying Balanced

Managing our time and finding balance in our lives can be difficult. But it is possible. The Lord has told us, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you” (3 Ne. 13:33). The readers who sent in their ideas agreed that things will fall into place if we prioritize correctly. Here are some of their ideas on how to stay balanced:

Put the Lord first in your life. Always make time to pray, and read the scriptures daily.
Get organized. Make a “to do” list or a schedule.
Prioritize. Decide which things are most important and do those first.
Write important events on a calendar and refer to it frequently.
Keep the Sabbath day holy. You might not think there are enough hours in the day to do all you need to do, but remember Sunday is the Lord’s day, and He will bless you if you are obedient.
“Do not run faster or labor more than you have strength and means … but be diligent unto the end” (D&C 10:4). Make the best use of the time you have, and consider eliminating less-important activities.
Ask for help. Turn to your family, friends, or teachers if your load becomes unbearable and you don’t know what to do.
Pray for help. Heavenly Father knows the pressures you are under, and He can help ease your burdens.
Listen to the Spirit. You might feel prompted to do something you hadn’t planned on doing.
In all your scheduling, don’t book every minute of your day. Leave time for family, for service, and to just relax and be yourself.

In site: To read more about staying balanced, go to www.lds.org and read “Focus and Priorities” by Elder Dallin H. Oaks (Ensign, May 2001, 82) and “The Art of Juggling” by Chris Crowe (New Era, Jan. 2001, 26).

Photography by Scott Tanner