This past week three different colleagues at work approached me and said,” I’m trying to schedule a meeting with you on Outlook and every hour of every workday, Monday through Friday shows you as busy for the next year! Really? Does that mean I can’t schedule time with you for the next year? No, that’s not the case.

Recently I established and am following a “time budget.”  It’s based on the same principle as a financial budget which accounts for every dollar coming in and every dollar going out. Dave Ramsey would say every dollar has a name. So, I have set up a time budget that accounts for every hour of every day. Every hour has a name. You might be thinking dude, chill out! That’s a little drastic and over the top, isn’t it? So far it has been totally liberating. My focused work time and productivity have improved dramatically, and I don’t feel the least bit rushed or pressured.

But wait Ralf, what about your previous blogs where you wrote about Kairos time, those God moments? You’ve also written about scheduling down time and preach about not looking at those interruptions as an intrusion on your day. What about rest and life balance? This time budget sounds really rigid. Everyone needs “white space” in their schedule. I totally agree. It sounds confining but is instead extremely freeing.

My new time budget accounts for all those things. Built into my day is flex time, breaks, sleep, exercise, enjoying leisurely meals, family time, personal time, time alone with God, God’s Word, and “Sabbath Rest”. And yes, it also includes a very structured workday that includes two 90 minute “focused work blocks.” I’ve also implemented specific time blocks where I only check and respond to email three times per day. Impossible you say. Nope, the trick is to inform your co-workers of what you are doing and why. And, I still have time for “interruptions”, planning and goal setting, and everyone’s favorite “meetings” :).

But Ralf, you started this post by saying your co-workers were complaining about not being able to schedule time for a meeting. True, for most of us there are certain standing meetings that you may be required to attend, and those are accounted in your time budget. It’s the unplanned unexpected, unannounced meetings that others “drop into our calendar” that tend to “eat our lunch”.  It’s those meetings that I am ruthless about controlling.

If a manager or coworker says I really need to meet with you or sends a meeting invite, I do not automatically hit the accept option. Instead, I reply “tentative” and control the narrative by asking in advance what the meeting is about. What’s the agenda or issue needing attention or action? How much time will it take? Is it of critical importance that we meet at the time requested? Can we manage the issue or situation with a brief phone call instead of scheduling a meeting? If I conclude this warrants accepting the meeting request, that’s when I adjust my time budget to accommodate the meeting invite. I can flex my schedule without “blowing the budget.”

There are several other practices I have begun that I’ll share another time that help make this time budget even more effective. In the meantime, as I continue to refine my new “time budget” I am seeking to walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. – Ephesians 5:16. The Psalmist writes, so teach us to number our days. That we may gain a heart of wisdom.

I think we all understand the importance of setting and following a budget to track our earnings, spending, savings, and investments, to be good stewards of all God has entrusted into our care. However, money is not our most important asset – time is! Let’s redeem it and use is wisely.

• YouTube