T I M E

The magical word. The one thing that no one has. But, everyone is given the same twenty-four hours in a day. This is sticky.

Using the time that we have been given by God is important and something that he calls us to do well. Ephesians 5:15-16 states, “look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time because the days are evil.” How are you using your time wisely not just to glorify God, but also to take care of your body? God says that our body is a temple and that we must take care of that. However, so often we shrug off working out (even a 30-minute walk), eating healthy, or getting the proper amount of sleep each night. We tend to push these two things on the back burner because we simply “don’t have enough time.”

Now don’t get me wrong I’m the first to admit that I 100% push these on the back burner especially when I think of being in college. Those many sleepless nights or days where I ran on 2-4 hours of sleep. Let’s just say I was crazy (even more so than now, I know hard to believe lol).

not to get all nerdy but…..(I promise you we’ll get back on track)

When an adult body does not get the proper amount of sleep each night it can lead to short-term and long-term effects on the body. An article written by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) states, “that the average sleep needs of adults is approximately 7 to 9 hours per night, and the optimal sleep duration for adolescents is 9 hours per night” (Perry et al., 2013). One of the many common reasons for not getting the proper amount of sleep is because of work schedule, friends, children, and TIME. Let’s be honest when was the last time you got 9 hours of sleep? Me not very often because I keep myself awake watching tv, scrolling through social media, or hanging out with friends. The study goes on to explain how a lack of sleep can lead to drowsiness at work or while driving and can increase the risk of stroke or heart disease. In 2005, “drowsy driving contributed to 100,000 motor accidents and 15,000 deaths (Perry et al., 2013). Wow. That breaks my heart and it’s due to a lack of sleep which circles back to time. Our hot topic of the night.

Disclaimer: If you or someone you know struggles with getting the proper amount of sleep, I would challenge you to reach out to a mental health or health care professional to rule out anything medically that could be wrong.

Yes. Life is hard and challenging and there are so many things to do each day, but the reality is there is always going to be one more thing to do or be checked off. Maybe it’s time with Jesus, healthy eating, cooking, cleaning, laundry, errands, or working out that hasn't been checked off. The list is endless and can often feel overwhelming at times where you don’t even know where to begin. I challenge y’all to talk with a friend or ask for help. I know it’s hard and challenging to open up, ask for help, or to be vulnerable with those around you. But I promise you the reward is so so sweet.

So often we only see the highlight reels on social media in other people’s lives which can make us feel discouraged. I’m here to tell you if they don’t, I’m right there with yah struggling too. I don’t always check all my boxes on my list, work out consistently, spend time with Jesus, or eat yummy healthy meals made at home. It’s okay we’re human and God gives us grace. What we can do is look at tomorrow because it is a new day and another twenty-four hours that we’ve been given.

How are you going to use it well??

References:

Perry, G. S., Patil, S. P., & Presley-Cantrell,

L. R. (2013). Raising awareness of sleep as a healthy behavior. Preventing Chronic Disease, 10.