As Elizabeth Dixon reminded us in Being Intentional with our Health, Finances and Relationships, we can only spend our time and money once.
When we invest our money, we hope it grows and returns to us with more than we originally spent.
How does this apply to our time? We can waste our time, spend our time, or invest our time.
Best case scenario is when our time invested produces a return with greater value than the original investment made. For instance, spending a few hours on a date with my husband pays great dividends with our deeper connection, enjoyment, and memories created that long outlast our dinner out.
So how can we ensure we invest our time in a worthwhile manner more often?
It makes me think of the principle learned from Luke 6:43-44a:
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.” (NIV)
Time well spent eventually bears good fruit. The only trouble is fruit takes a loooong time to produce!
I think there is wisdom in savvy shortcuts. We aren’t trying to shortcut the journey, rather we shortcut the length of time to learn and apply the valuable lesson.
This is one of the reasons I find mentors so vitally important!
They have gone before me and they can share their experience to help me avoid unnecessary missteps and intentionally apply lessons they have already learned.
Repeatedly, my favorite question to ask parents who are ahead of us is, “What did you do when your children were young that you see the fruit and benefit of now that they are older?” I started collecting responses, and it led me to apply some of their principles and brainstorm my own list.
If you don’t have access to a mentor right now, spend time with people through books or podcasts. (Start with any guest from The Savvy Sauce! Or some parenting books I recommend.)
This practice doesn’t just apply to parenting! It works well for spiritual growth, marital enrichment, personal development, friendship, and business or leadership development.
Another favorite question I love to ask is, “What is your best practice related to _____?” You can fill in that blank with the person’s area of expertise. For an energetic and active person, I may ask what their best practices are for meal prep or workout routines. When it comes to business people I admire, I like to know their best practices for time management and productivity.
I love maximizing all opportunities, so I got to thinking: what in life has proven to have the best return on investment (ROI)?
Sometimes it’s not seen until years later.
But wisdom is proved right by all her children. (Luke 7:35b, NIV)
This verse always catches my attention. I interpret this to mean wisdom is revealed through actions, what it produces, or its deeds. But I also think there is an element of time this verse is alluding to.
Something that seems right in the moment could actually be detrimental long term, so wisdom is proved over time.
Early on in parenting, I was happy to know I could easily help my daughter stop crying by giving her what she wanted. In the short term, this seemed like a lovely solution and peace was quickly restored. As I became less foggy-brained and sleep-deprived, I recognized this was not actually in her best interest! I quickly changed my strategy.
Likewise, things that seem to be working currently may not be our best choice when we factor in the big picture or long-term perspective. The Bible frequently pairs wisdom with being the opposite of short-sighted (see any chapter of Proverbs).
So, back to that question: what in life has proven to have the best ROI?
My list is fluid because I always want to be flexible enough to adapt, add, or subtract.
Currently, I would say my greatest ROI in life comes from:
- Time spent reading aloud to our children
- Prioritizing relationships over tasks
- Daily connecting with God through reading Scripture and journaling
- Faithfully having a Tuesday night date night
- Listening to podcast episodes whenever I am alone and doing mindless tasks (sometimes in ten minute bursts while getting ready, folding laundry, or going on a walk)
- Reading books that inspire purposeful living . . .
These are the things I’m passionate to share about! And I think passion and desire are often linked to a healthy return on investment, provided it is the beautiful desire God put on our heart.
But that’s not the end goal of this article. I am more concerned with you applying this to your own life!
My examples are just to get you started. If your mind feels blank right now, I want to provide some questions to help you discover your own passions, desires, and how to recognize wisdom in your life. The process of discovery is the main goal here.
As you enjoy time responding to these questions, follow them up with an action item to apply in your unique situation so that you can start living your life in a way that produces the maximum return on investment.
So, process these with a loved one, with your journal, or silently as you bring them before God. The Holy Spirit is who breathes life into these responses anyway and God empowers the refreshment and change that will happen!
Questions to consider as you contemplate what in your life has proven to give you the maximum return on investment:
What do you find yourself repeatedly sharing about in various conversations?
Where do you find your mind wandering when you are doing a mindless task like showering or vacuuming?
What topic comes up in conversation that makes you feel excited?
What were some of your favorite memories over the past few months?
What is one thing you are grateful you did today? This week? This year? In your life?
What are some hopes and desires you want to be fulfilled in the future?
What kind of person do you want others to say you are?
How would you like for people to experience you? Remember you?
What Scripture makes you feel especially alive?
What prayer are you longing to have answered right now?
When do you feel empty? Full?
What past prayer was most impactful and appreciated when it was answered?
When you bring your calendar before the Lord, how does He guide you?
Are you flourishing? If so, what specifically helps you flourish? If not, what is missing or overcrowded in your life?
Will you ask God for clarity and direction for how to combine your realizations from these questions above?
I pray these answers connect some dots in your life and inspire you to plan at least one way this week you can put action behind these responses.
Together let’s spend our lives on what will outlast it!
So I, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to you to live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called [that is, to live a life that exhibits godly character, moral courage, personal integrity, and mature behavior—a life that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation]. (Ephesians 4:1, AMP)
Lots of love,
Laura
Related Articles: Rhythms and Why They Matter and My Top Four Resources for Intentional Living and My 10 Favorite Parenting Books
Related Podcast Episodes:
3 Being Intentional with our Health, Finances and Relationships
12 How to Apply Successful Business Principles to Your Life with Dee Ann Turner
13 Managing Family, Career, and Health with Leslie Neslage
Bonus Episode! Fruitful in 2020 with Laura Dugger
2 thoughts on “How Do You Know It’s Worthwhile?”