Many people, when confronted with the idea of organizing their daily activities into a schedule, often say: “Oh no, a schedule would limit my life, I need freedom.” For a long time, I thought that way. But the funny thing is, after getting to know families who follow a schedule, I started to realize that this statement couldn't be more wrong. On the contrary, those who don't follow a schedule are generally slaves to time, as they have no control over it.

Over the past few years, I've noticed that families who follow a schedule for their daily activities not only have more time to complete their tasks but are also more united and happier. Some of these examples influenced us to at least try to establish a schedule in our home, and the results we've achieved so far have been very positive. It's not easy, but every time we realize something has become a habit and works naturally, we feel it was a victory with God!

Advice like that found in the book Child Guidance, p. 125, helps me understand that God is pleased when our family life is organized within a schedule. “As far as possible, it is good to consider what should be accomplished during the day. Make a list of the different duties awaiting your attention, and set aside a certain time for the performance of each. Let everything be done thoroughly, correctly, and with dispatch… Mark off a certain number of minutes for doing the work, and do not stop to read the papers and books upon which your eyes may fall, but say to yourselves, 'No, I have only so many minutes in which to do the work, and I must accomplish my task in the allotted time.'”

After reading the following testimony from John and Teresa*, I came to understand that establishing a family schedule is not just a matter of organization, but above all, it is a spiritual matter. And that is why it can only be achieved through God's power.

Here's what they share:

“In our home, we've discovered that one of the most important ingredients for a happy, regular, and productive family life is following a schedule. I've come to see a schedule as a form of discipline – the discipline of good time management. The principle behind a schedule is 'a place (or time) for everything and everything in its place.' This principle is broad and applies not only to time (following a schedule) but also to finances (living within one's income), possessions (organization), talents, and any other resource God has entrusted to us. When you readily submit to the discipline of following a schedule, after carefully and prayerfully planning it to fulfill God's will and your family's needs, it actually becomes a blessing and brings freedom. As James 1:25 says: 'But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.' We have found this to be true. As we make daily choices to submit our plans and goals to God's known will (law) by living a disciplined and organized life, the law itself brings freedom, and we are truly blessed.

For this reason, we recognize that our enemy has done everything in his power to prevent our family from following a schedule. Every time we made an effort to stick to the schedule, he came like a flood to overwhelm us and make us feel that it was a truly impossible goal to achieve. But with Christ, we have discovered that it is truly possible!

Here are some important lessons we've learned from our experience:

1. It is truly impossible – by our own strength – to follow a schedule. We tried and tried until we gave up. I have a friend who often says, “trying is the punishment for choosing.” So we prayed, “Lord, if we are to follow a schedule, it will have to be Your work. We are incapable.” Suddenly, it started to work! We had to reach the end of our own effort so that we could recognize where the source of our power lies.2. Recognize that this is a spiritual battle. We are not fighting against flesh and blood. This issue is much bigger than simply following or not following a schedule; it has to do with a personal surrender to know God's will. In other words, it has to do with salvation.3. Make a list of the things you need to do, then make sure everything you need to do has a designated time to be accomplished within the schedule.4. Recognize the enemies of a schedule:

a. Focusing on the task, rather than the time. For me, as a man, this has been a great enemy. But Teresa has also struggled with this. We both like to stay on a task until we complete it. Since we work from home, we often say, “I'm almost done with this project.” Then we finish the project at the expense of our schedule. But even if we go off schedule for just ten minutes, it seems like everything gets out of place. Following a schedule requires us to shift from focusing on completing the task all at once, to accomplishing as much as possible within the pre-established time period.
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b. Getting easily distracted. How many times have I set out to do a task and gotten distracted by something I had forgotten to do the previous week (day)? Making a list helps solve this problem.
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c. Never allowing margin in your life. Plan some free time within your schedule for personal projects so you can do those small, distracting things that weren't in the plan; or simply to sit and do something you enjoy, to relax.
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d. A spirit of discontentment. Be content with what the Lord has graciously given you. It is usually a spirit of discontentment that causes us to exceed both our time and money limits.”*

If you feel in your heart, as I do, the desire to organize your life within a schedule, here are some practical tips that helped me get started. Begin by setting a schedule for some of the most important activities such as: bedtime and waking up, personal devotion and family worship, meals. Once these activities are regular, try adding others into the gaps until your week is organized.

Remember that if you are tempted to go to bed or wake up later on the weekend, you will have trouble returning to your regular schedule on other days. Furthermore, one of the first things we stop doing when we go off schedule is communion with God and family worship, which brings other negative consequences for the day. One thing I gradually realized is that to organize life within a schedule, we need to consider what is truly a priority. Giving up things that are not as important to make time for the most important ones.

I hope these tips are useful to you. May God bless you in organizing your time!

*Written by John Krum for the book The Powerful Potentials of Homeschool, Restoration International Publishing.
Translated by Rute Bazan.
Used with permission.

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