Did you know that 2024 is a leap year? We have 366 days this year instead of 365.

While the modern calendar contains 365 days, the time it takes for the Earth to orbit the Sun is actually longer – approximately 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds.

The difference may seem negligible initially, but the extra time accumulates over the years. If there was no leap day, Christmas would eventually be in the summer. How weird would that be?

To some, the “extra day” we have this year might seem appealing. After all, an additional 24 hours means we can do more things. But for others, the thought of another day might leave you sighing — one more day at work or school.

Regardless, this very special day has got me thinking about a very important question…

How are we spending our time?

My teacher once said that time is the only real currency, and how we spend it is vital. He also proceeded to show us a picture of our life in weeks, through tiny boxes we could shade in to represent how many weeks we had already lived.

While slightly morbid, that day was also a wake-up call. It caused me to confront the uncomfortable fact that, compared to what I like to believe, I actually do not have that much time left on this earth.

It doesn’t help that it’s all too easy to whittle our time away these days. Social media makes it much simpler to end up doom-scrolling on TikTok for hours.

Time waits for no one, and we are called to spend our days wisely in these “evil days” (Ephesians 5:15-16).

There are all many of distractions and traps in this world that threaten to lead us away from Christ. That is why we have to be diligent and disciplined in how we use our time for God’s kingdom. 

Every moment is precious, and we need to be urgent about doing the unique work that God has called each of us to do. That means remaining devoted in worship and prayer, loving our neighbours as ourselves and making heaven crowded.

We should not waste our time on meaningless things or dwelling on things we should have let go of a long time ago.

With that, here are three practical tips on how you can better utilise your time.

3 ways to better manage your time

1. Number your days

In the words of Billy Graham, let us learn to see that our days are a gift from God.

As we acknowledge the brevity of human life in the light of eternity (Psalms 90:12), we become thankful for the time we have on earth.

Start by committing our days to God, each and every morning, this will help us not to take them for granted.

2. Prioritise first things first

An important question we should ask ourselves is this: Is my schedule centred around God?

Sometimes, we are tempted to view cell group, service or even quiet time as negotiables. They become the events that go on the chopping block whenever something more in line with our whims and fancies comes along. 

So, one practical handle is to plan out our upcoming week on Sunday, which is when we block out time that is specially meant for God. God first, and then we schedule everything else afterwards.

This is what it looks like to prioritise time with God and is one way we can place Him first in our lives (Matthew 6:33) — by making Him Lord over our timetables.

3. Start journalling 

The very same teacher who gave me that nugget of wisdom has been journalling everyday since the Circuit Breaker in 2020.

While journalling can take various forms, such as a physical notebook or even the newly launched app “Journal” by Apple, taking the time to track your days and what you spend time on is very beneficial.

Penning down where our hours are going makes us more conscious of where our life has been, and where it’s headed towards. Journalling like this can also help you to take stock of where you currently are, and where you want to go. 

As a bonus, journalling also serves as a sort of time capsule, a keepsake to reflect upon in the years to come. 

Regardless of how many days we have in a year, I pray that we will grow in wisdom to know how to spend our time.

Life is too short to waste our days on frivolous, foolish things. So, if you ever find yourself questioning your purpose or just feeling bored by everything, remember this.

Life is meant to lived for the things that are on God’s heart.