Glynnis Whitwer - Taming the To-Do List: How to Choose Your Best Work Every Day

2015 by Glynnis Whitwer

Published by Revell

a division of Baker Publishing Group

P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287

www.revellbooks.com

Ebook edition created 2015

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

ISBN 978-1-4934-0124-6

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Scripture quotations labeled AMP are from the Amplified Bible, copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations labeled ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2007

Scripture quotations labeled NASB are from the New American Standard Bible, copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations labeled NLT are from the Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations labeled NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Published in association with the literary agency of Fedd & Company, Inc., PO Box 341973, Austin, TX 78734

I give this book a very enthusiastic standing ovation. Wow! I never knew how much procrastination costs us and how rich the rewards can be when we overcome it. My friend Glynnis nailed it with this book!

Lysa TerKeurst , New York Times bestselling author of The Best Yes and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries

Ever scribble out your to-do list but then become terrified of actually looking at it? You just arent sure whereor howto start tackling your many tasks. So, instead, you grab a soda, flip on the TV, flop on the couch, and vow that tomorrow youll finally get your act together. No more! Glynnis Whitwer has crafted an inspiring and practical guide for preventing procrastination. Shell empower you to take that stress-inducing task list from to-do to Hey look! Its done! Highly recommended!

Karen Ehman , Proverbs 31 national speaker, New York Times bestselling author of Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All and Everyday Confetti: Your Year-Round Guide to Celebrating Holidays and Special Occasions

Refreshingly real and extremely practical, Taming the To-Do List is a great book for the busy woman who feels pulled in a million different directions and cant seem to get a grip! I needed this useful advice and encouragement to help me manage my time better, hone my focus, and give my attention to the tasks that arent necessarily the most pressing but are the most important. A must-read!

Ruth Schwenk , author, speaker, and creator of TheBetterMom.com

To Tod, my husband and best friend.
Thank you for always believing in me,
and always supporting Gods call on my life.
I love you.

Contents

Acknowledgments

I m so grateful to God for letting me have so much fun serving Him and for putting me in such a loving family. Thanks to my husband, Tod, and my five blessings, Joshua, Dylan, Cathrine, Robbie, and Ruth, for supporting me while I wrote this book and let other things slide (but didnt procrastinateread chapter 15).

Im grateful for...

My mother, Kathryn, my sisters, Paula and Liz, and their families. I still think its amazing we never have conflict at family gatherings.

My wonderful friends at Proverbs 31 Ministries. For Lysa TerKeurst and her godly leadership. For my executive team friends who didnt get frustrated with me for being late on a few things while writing this book. And for the staff, speakers, and writers at Proverbs 31 Ministries, who model Gods grace and kindness. A special shout out to my Word team, who picked up the slack and prayed me through the finishing of this book: Barb, Steph, and Kenisha.

My friend Karen Ehman, who helps me see perspective when ministry and work get crazy.

Esther Fedorkevich, my agent, who took a chance on me. Thank you for sharing in my vision and believing in me.

Andrea Doering and the team at Revell. Im so glad God answered the prayer of my heart from years ago to one day work with you.

The biggest thanks of all go to Jesus, my Savior, for giving me purpose and value that transcend my to-do list.

Introduction

L ooking back, its obvious procrastination has been a lifelong companion of mine.

Its always been easy to find other things to blame. But digging down deep unearths the truthI put things off that I really should do. And in doing so, my to-do list gets out of control.

My procrastination first showed up in school, when Id wait until the last minute to finish an assignment. Just good enough to make the grade... but never feeling like Id done my best.

It then showed up at my first job, when I faced hard, challenging work that quite honestly made me wonder what Id learned in four years of college. It was easier to plead busyness than to admit I felt underqualified and afraid to try. Would my work show I didnt have what it took?

Procrastination then popped up its bossy head as I got involved in church, volunteering, and leading small groups and Bible studies. But its influence truly escalated when I answered Gods call to write and speak. It hasnt controlled all areas of my life, but its impacted me enough that I finally said no. No to the lies that tomorrow would be easier. No to the fear that Id look like a fool. No to the threat that my best wasnt good enough.

And I also finally said yes. Yes to addressing the underlying issues of my procrastination. Yes to being brave enough to face some weak areas. Yes to hard choices that bring my responsibilities under control. And yes to sharing it all with you.

Heres what you wont find in this book: advice written from someone who has only studied this topic in a classroom or laboratory. Or advice from someone standing on the sidelines with a megaphone yelling instructions. You wont find any advice like Just do something or Get over yourself!

Rather, what I hope and pray youll find is encouragement from someone who knows all the doubts, frustration, and personal disappointment procrastination causes because she has lived it. But youll also find hope, encouragement, and truth that procrastination doesnt define you. Plus Ive included practical tools that have helped me, and others, face the reasons we delay addressing our highest and best work.

Were on even ground, you and me. And were both standing in the shadow of the cross of Jesus, where theres much-needed grace to be found.

Thank you for joining me here.

In His love,

Glynnis

Procrastinate? Me?

God has promised forgiveness to your repentance; but he has not promised tomorrow to your procrastination.

St. Augustine