Does it ever seem like there are not enough hours in the day? And if so, why is that? With the invention of automatic washers and dryers, dishwashers, automatic bill pay, automobiles, airplanes, and devices we carry in our pocket that are more powerful than the computers that put Neil Armstrong on the moon 51 years ago, you would think time constraints would be less of an issue. But yet it often seems like there is never enough time to catch a breath.

In the introduction to John Eldredge’s lastest book Get Your Life Back, Eldredge states:

There’s a madness to our moment, and we need to name it for the lunacy it is. Because it’s taking our lives hostage. First, there’s the blistering pace of life. I texted friends an announcement that was really important to me; they replied with little thumbs-up emojis. I think to myself, That’s it—you can’t even answer a text with a text? Email felt so efficient when it replaced the letter; texting seemed like rocket fuel when it came along. But it didn’t make our lives more spacious; we simply had to keep up. Now we’re living at the speed of the swipe and the “like,” moving so fast through our days that typing a single sentence feels cumbersome. Everyone I talk to says they feel busier than ever. My musician friends aren’t playing much anymore; my gardening friends don’t have time to plant; I currently have eight books I’ve started, and I haven’t made it past the first chapter in any of them. We’ve been sucked into a pace of life nobody’s enjoying. (Eldredge, xi)

Eldredge suggests that periodic pauses can play a role in “getting our life back.” Reflecting on the concept of taking periodic pauses throughout the day made me wonder if periodic pauses could improve one’s punctuality. If punctuality is showing respect for others by doing the right thing at the right time, could incorporating a rhythm of stopping, pausing, and taking a breath increase our ability to be at the right place at the right time?

Even in the midst of controversy and differing opinions over just about everything, we can all agree, each of us has the same number of hours in a day. The Queen of England and Bill Gates have the same twenty-four hours as we do. We have the same number of hours in a day that Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr. had. Regardless of wealth, power, or influence, not a single minute can be added to or taken away from a day.

What if instead of viewing periodic pauses and taking time to recharge as a waste of time, it was actually a way to increase our productivity at work and at home? In today’s society, time to yourself to pursue hobbies or interest, or time with loved ones, can be hard to come by without intentionality. If punctuality is doing the right thing at the right time, could taking time to recharge increase our emotional and physical capabilities to do the right thing at the right time?

There are many practical aspects of punctuality to be considered:

• Do I get enough sleep?
• Do I allow enough time for a task or to get from one place to another?
• Do I have a habit of losing track of time?
• Do I simply need to pause and recharge?

The character trait of Punctuality can be developed by taking the time to look at and consider the cause and effects of habits associated with increasing or decreasing our ability to be punctual. With intentionality we can all show respect for others by doing the right thing at the right time.

Originally published in the Owasso Reporter August 2020