For years now, my Sunday rituals have included about thirty minutes of review and planning. First, I look over the list from last week’s calendar: What did I accomplish? What did I do well? Where did I waste time? Where should I have taken a break? What didn’t get done that I need to do in the week ahead? What mattered? What didn’t matter? What did God teach me through all of it?

Next, I look ahead to the coming week and fill in the blanks (and purposefully leave a few blanks) on my calendar: What has to be done—with no options to the contrary? What are my scheduled appointments (including God-and-I-Time, meetings, scheduled phone calls, etc.)? What are my upcoming deadlines (for my work assignments)? What special events do I need to plan for? About what will I be able to say, “That mattered,” when I look back next week at this time? What do I want to accomplish for God this week?

I encourage you to take a minimum of fifteen minutes today to ask and answer some of those same (or similar) questions. (It’s not as long as it sounds, and it will save you that much time and more as you head into a well-planned, flexible, prayed-over week!)

Pray about it. Plan it. Pray over it. Purposefully do it. Praise God through it! —bls