Our modern hustle and bustle places us in the grip of what Swiss psychologist Paul Tournier calls "universal fatigue." This fatigue has reached epidemic proportions in the West. People are constantly complaining about how tired they feel—tired when they get up, tired at the office, tired at home in the evenings, tired on weekends or even during holidays. Where does this "universal fatigue" come from? It has many sources, but mainly it stems from the compulsive drive of modern life.¹

Neither pre- nor anti-industrial approaches to time are able to solve our difficulties with time. Within the dominant culture of Western countries, only one systematic attempt to deal with the time problem has emerged—"time management." It promises to make life tolerable even in the workplace.

Time management experts tell us we ought to identify time-wasting activities and find more efficient ways of carrying them out, and it would be hard to find an aspect of work which has not been so scrutinized. They tell us that having pruned time-wasting activities and discovered more efficient ways of doing tasks, we need to make wise use of the "discretionary" time gained. Blocks of time need to be reserved for important thinking, writing and forecasting. We should arrange meetings so that they don't distract from important tasks. And so on and so forth.

The problem is, time management techniques face the time problem at its point of greatest tension and claims to relieve that tension, but does so without requiring any radical break with our style of life. Time management techniques don't require us to challenge our fundamental views of time.

The anthropologist E.T. Hall perceptively notes that for us the contents and limits of a period of time are generally "sacrosanct." In a non-Western culture a person simply starts at some point and goes on until he has completed his task or until something else intervenes.

But if we allocate a certain amount of time to an activity, we are unwilling to rearrange our program. "Once set, the schedule is almost sacred, so that not only is it wrong, according to the formal dictates of our culture, to be late, but it is a violation of the informal patterns, to keep changing schedules or appointments or to deviate from the agenda."²

Anyone who has attended classes in a school or university, worked in an office or factory, or participated in conferences or conventions, knows how true this is. Not matter how important may be the person or event which turns up unexpectedly and needs attention, almost always the program will be adhered to. The show must go on …

Given this, it is not surprising some writers have no hesitation in declaring that we have turned time into a quasi-religious affair. "The time-cult is the master-concept of our day," claims Wyndham Lewis.³ Says Eric Fromm, "Time is the idol that rules our life." ⁴

Even before the Industrial Revolution, Jonathan Swift discerned that a new idol had arisen. In Gulliver's Travels, he records his hero's capture by the Lilliputians. Fascinated by Gulliver's clothing, the Lilliputians note:

Out of his pocket hung a great silver chain, with a wonderful kind of engine at the bottom. We directed him to draw out whatever was at the end of that chain; which appeared to be a globe, half silver, and half of some transparent metal … He put this engine to our ears, which made an incessant noise like that of a watermill; and we conjecture it is either some unknown animal, or the god that he worships; but we are more inclined to the latter opinion, because he assured us that he seldom did anything without consulting it. He called it his oracle, and said it pointed the time for every action of his life.⁵

We have elevated clock time into a more important place in our lives than it warrants. Idols not only enslave their admirers, they also transform people into replicas of themselves. So people "actually became like clocks, acting with a repetitive regularity which had no resemblance to the rhythmic life of a natural being."⁶

Time management fails to challenge the view of time which prevails in advanced industrial societies. Indeed, it wholeheartedly endorses it. The language it uses and the concepts with which it is associated come from the world of commerce and industry, and writings of Christian authors do not differ in this respect from works by those with different philosophies.

In Christian time management literature, leisure is regarded as having its justification in its relationship to work. According to one writer: "We do not work in order to have leisure. We have leisure in order that we might get on with our work … The industrial planners tell us that a time away from work allows us to return to our job with a greater level of efficiency." ⁷ Here we have a striking testimony to the way in which the secular viewpoint is simply assimilated into the Christian one.

We need to get back to the origins of the Judeo-Christian view and see whether these contain clues to our present problems with time that have been overlaid or ignored.

For many Christians, biblical injunctions about use of time seem to underline the importance of each moment that passes. Consider the following:

Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of (or redeeming) the time. (Col. 4:5)

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. (Eph. 5:15)

But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called 'today', that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. (Heb. 3:13)

Don't these words stress the significance of each moment? Many have concluded from these and other passages that God demands "busyness" in his service and they find no fault with the pace of life today in itself. Lack of busyness is taken as a sign of half-hearted commitment.

But the first set of passages doesn't encourage a busy use of time at all. What they ask is for is a discerning approach to it. We are to conduct ourselves wisely, not hectically toward outsiders (Col. 4:5). We are to exhort one another "constantly" not at every opportunity (Heb. 3:13). And, despite the translation, we are not called upon to "make the most of the time." This choice of words underlines how affected even translators are by our modern obsession with maximizing time use. What we are required to do is to free (redeem) it from unprofitable activities. Today this injunction could be directed as much against the round of superficial pursuits that so many Christians are engaged in as against wasting time in all sorts of idle ways.

In biblical days there were two ways of looking at a particular unit of time. Time was often measured in a straight-forward, chronological way. But, a qualitative approach to time is also present in the Bible. Writers often place the emphasis on what is happening, not on when something happens. A particular time period is defined according to its content, not its position on a chronological time line.

Take a look at the Apostle Paul. Paul's activities sometimes follow a regular pattern, like visiting the synagogue on the first day each week (Acts 17:2), and sometimes display considerable flexibility. In fact, some considered him a vacillator whose statements of intention were not to be trusted (2 Cor. 1:17-18). His travel plans were mostly provisional as to both destination and duration. Sudden changes in plan occurred, owing to external circumstances, personal anxieties, and uncertain reception or God's guidance (Acts 13:49-51; 2 Cor. 2:12-13; 1:23-2:1; Acts 16:6-8). Only when he had a clear understanding of God's purpose for him could he make predictions of a reasonably certain, time-specific kind (1 Cor. 16:8-9).

Paul did not equate opportunity or need with God's requirements. He chose not to take advantage of certain opportunities because he recognized that at the time he did not have the emotional energy to cope with them (2 Cor. 2:12-13). He was careful to proceed only in the direction God indicated, though this sometimes meant bypassing whole fields in which he could have spent time (Acts. 16:6-9). He never attempted to exploit every new opportunity or press every situation as far as it would go.

None of this means that Paul failed to exert himself strenuously in his work (Acts 20:31; 1 Thess. 2:9; 2 Thess. 3:8). We should be careful that we do not read into such passages notions of "busyness." We should also be wary of interpreting comments about his working "night and day" more literally than remarks which we do not take that way, e.g., his injunction to "pray unceasingly." Remember that in such passages, Paul is protesting against those who did too little.

Clearly, both the measurement and significance of time were important in the Judeo-Christian outlook. Today we are so preoccupied with measuring time down to the smallest unit that we forget that generally, it is the content that should determine when and how long we should engage in something, not the other way round.

At the root of our busyness and haste lies either a flight from ourselves, others and God, or a desire to justify ourselves to God, others and ourselves. In other words, our activism is either idolatrous self-absorption or a self-justifying exercise.⁸ It is one thing to look for meaningful, valuable, satisfying work. It is another to regard work as that which proves to myself, others or God that I am acceptable—that my existence is justified. If we depend on our work to give us worth, what happens if we are declared redundant, become invalids or retire? What message do we have for the disadvantaged, unemployed, the aged?

No. We must fully embrace the gospel which we claim to believe. Time management stresses the possibility of a technical or organizational solution to the problem of overwork. The counter culture deifies nature and champions harmony with it, rather than the one who created it. The gospel approach goes deeper than either of these, showing us how to come to grips with the problem of who we are, in a way that returning to nature or relying on our reason cannot. Time management cannot save us from the tyranny of time.

So, let's look at biblical ways to deal with our time problem.

The vitality of becoming. The first step we can take is to reject the activism which permeates our thinking. Our first temptation is always to ask what we should "do" about something. Our approach to the problem of time is generally along this line. We want action. We want a program. We want a manual of do's and don'ts to help us shift into a different lifestyle. But this doesn't work. Our difficulties won't dissolve simply by substituting one set of actions for another.

The counter culture asks us to forsake "doing" in favor of "being," an emphasis which comes from Eastern religions and certain types of Western psychology. The first encourages us to lose ourselves in the all-pervading cosmic "Being," the latter stresses our need to get in touch with our own "being."

The trouble is, what we discover when we begin making contact with our inner selves is a nest of contradictions, weaknesses and uncertainties. It is not enough for people to get in touch with the genuine core of their beings, for that core is itself part of the problem.⁹

So as Christians, we must reject the emphasis on being, which is often regarded as the only alternative to activism. From a Christian point of view, the most important thing is not that we are "doing" or "being" but that we are "becoming."¹⁰

The process of "becoming" has a dynamism which merely "being" lacks, and a depth which "doing" lacks. In becoming I gain a real center to my life. This is the consistent thrust of biblical writings. In becoming like Christ, we develop gifts and character qualities which fit us for whatever tasks God has in view (cf. Matt. 5:21-48, Col. 2:20-3:17). The right sort of "doing" inevitably follows.

Transformation of character and lifestyle—of "becoming"—means making a commitment to live a less hurried, less harried existence.

A single minded approach to life. We must become clear about the main path God requires us to follow. Whatever God wishes us to devote ourselves to, he will grant us time enough in which to do it.

One of our greatest problems is that we misunderstand what God asks of us, either by adding all kinds of extra responsibilities or by possessing only a hazy idea of what he wishes. We will gain more time by properly understanding his will for us than by all the time-saving suggestions put together.

It is a matter of taking seriously Jesus' words "Seek first his kingdom … and all these things shall be yours as well" (Matt. 6:33). We must look behind our commitments and responsibilities to the priorities which inform them because our time problems may well be based on poor priorities. Only a radical reappraisal will reveal where we have gone astray and where God wishes to lead us. And, we must learn to distinguish between the important and the urgent.

C.E. Hummel finds the solution to escaping the tyranny of the urgent in Jesus' practice of daily seeking God's will:

By this means he warded off the urgent and accomplished the important. It gave him a sense of direction, set a steady pace, and enabled him to do every task God assigned … If the Christian is too busy to stay, take spiritual inventory, and receive his assignments from God, he becomes a slave to the tyranny of the urgent. He may work day and night to achieve much that seems significant to himself and others, but he will not finish the work God has for him to do … "¹¹

Developing a sense of personal rhythms. It is important to discern our natural rhythms and to adjust our behavior accordingly. These rhythms differ from person to person.

We have physical rhythms which range from small "ninety minute ones" through which our bodies move during the day, to longer annual cycles. We should maintain regular sleep patterns. Men as well as women should identify and make allowances for their monthly cycles. We ought to lower our expectations of what we can achieve when the weather is extremely hot or cold. As we oscillate between health and sickness, we should recognize the behavior appropriate to each. Traveling and staying put also need to find their proper levels because too much travel puts stress upon our bodies.

There are also psychological rhythms. A balance should be struck between large gatherings and smaller ones, between times devoted to strangers and time with friends, between demanding, people-oriented periods and relaxed, time-expansive, self-regarding ones. It is also important to ensure that time spent directly with God is balanced by time spent simply with ourselves. Time given to appreciating the world is needed alongside time spent consuming its benefits.

In his book Freedom of Simplicity, Richard Foster talks about the balance between quiet reflection and strenuous activity. He comments on the great relief he experienced in discovering his own cycle.

I function best when I alternate between periods of intense activity and of comparative solitude. When I understand this about myself I can order my life accordingly. After a certain amount of immersion in public life, I begin to burn out. And I have noticed that I burn out inwardly long before I do outwardly … I must learn to retreat, like Jesus, and experience the recreating power of God.¹²

He no longer castigates himself for giving insufficient attention to study or meditation during periods of activity. Nor does he rebuke himself for lack of activity in times of quiet reflection or vacation.

As Christians we are unwilling to face up to the fact that our ways of looking at time and our everyday use of it are virtually identical to the attitudes and behaviors of those around us, and time management techniques are powerless to change this. Christians have uncritically absorbed the spirit of the age. To engage in a frantic activity is to become enmeshed in the time patterns of a world which will one day come to and end—one that is even now passing away (1 Cor. 7:29-30), and we have failed to provide a genuine alternative to the stifling pressures of modern society.

A genuinely Christian perspective endorses neither a laid-back outlook nor a fast pace, developing instead a measure of each in a fully integrated life. It idolizes neither spontaneity nor organization, but allows room for both when appropriate. It frees us from our enslavement to the clock, but does not ignore the need to sensibly measure time. It encourages a freer, more flexible approach to life, but not at the expense of public relevance.

It is not too late for us to change, but something needs to be done. Now, of all times, it is time to do something about time.

Adapted from The Tyranny of Time. Copyright 1983 by Robert Banks. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Robert Banks (M.Th., Ph.D.) has studied and taught in many universities in Australia and North America. The author of many books, he leads seminars on ethical and social issues facing the church and the world.

1 Cf. M. Hilliard, Women and Fatigue (Family Life Movement of Australia) p.118.

2 E.T. Hall, The Hidden Dimension (New York: Doubleday, 1966) pp. 182, 183.

3 Wyndham Lewis, Time and Western Man (London: Chatto and Windus, 1972) p.17.

4 Eric Fromm, To Have or To Be? (New York: Harper and Row, 1976), p.129.

5 J. Swift, Gulliver's Travels (London: Dent, 1940) pp. 31-32.

6. G. Woodcock, "The Tyranny of the Clock" in A. Naftalin (ed.) An Introduction to Social Science (Chicago: Lippincott, 1953) p. 211.

7. P. King, How Do You Find the Time? (Edmonds, W.A.: Women's Aglow Fellowship) pp. 110-111.

8 Cf. J. Moltmann, Theology and Joy (London: SCM, 1973), p.69.

9 R. Hudnut, The Bootstrap Fallacy: What the Self-help Books Don't Tell You (London: Collins, 1979).

10 See the discerningly chosen title of K. Miller, The Becomers (Waco: Word, 1977).

11 C.E. Hummel, The Tyranny of the Urgent (London: Inter-Varsity, 1967), pp. 4-5.

12 R. Foster, Freedom of Simplicity (London: SPCK, 1981) p.91.