Cover Image: Redeeming Your Time

Redeeming Your Time

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I loved this book! It's well-written, enjoyable, and a great read. Jordan Raynor did a great job of writing in a way that captures the readers attention, and makes you not want to put it down until you're finished! I would highly recommend it!

Was this review helpful?

The bad news: I’ve wasted a lot of time reading a ton of time management and productivity books. The good news: I can stop because I’ve found the book that I believe will be most helpful and had what all the other books were missing! 

I loved this book has much biblical wisdom, but didn’t leave you hanging with what sounds good and what we all know we should be doing. It’s filled with very practical help. 

I can’t think of anything I didn’t like about this book. Maybe that I didn’t read it sooner? Or that Jordan didn’t write sooner? Haha! 

If you’re looking for a better way to manage your time, but also tired of the books that encourage too much hustle, this book is for you!

Was this review helpful?

The world we live in is one of busyness and hurry; always on the go, never taking the time to rest. The products that we are sold promise us speed and productivity...all so we can work more and increase output. This is a trap that I've fallen into many times and it always leaves me feeling empty and burnt out.
I had the privilege of reading an early copy of ‘Redeeming Your Time’ by Jordan Raynor earlier this year, and the points in the book go hand-in-hand with the lessons I’ve been learning through therapy. Reconnecting with the Word of God, creating room for stillness, and embracing “productive rest” are some of the biggest takeaways.
I read 'Redeeming Your Time' shortly after starting therapy. Since starting this journey of emotional stretching and inward reflection, I’ve experienced growth in a way I could have never imagined. The biggest takeaway from the journey so far? GRACE. My daily struggle continues to be overcoming the shouting self-critic and realizing that I am only human, incapable of doing or controlling it all. 'Redeeming Your Time' provides not only spiritual encouragement that is soaked in scripture, but practical advice rooted in evidence based practice and science. I would highly recommend this book for anyone and everyone living in the hustle and bustle of contemporary culture.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital copy for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This is a great guide as to how you can work through your schedule and make it work best for you. It Christian-based and is laid out nice and easy for you to be able to navigate and understand. If I weren’t on a kindle reading this, I probably would want a highlighter! You will enjoy how it uses Scripture and weaves that into your life of crazy to bring some normalcy to it!

Was this review helpful?

There are any number of time management and productivity books available at your local bookshop or library. in my experience, most of them promise if you follow their One True Way of organising your life, then you will be a happier and more productive person. The problem with this line is that God created us all to be unique, so what works for the author many not work for me, and what works for me may not work for you. This leaves us feeling like a failure when the One True Way doesn’t work, so we’re back on the organisation/productivity bandwagon to find a way that does work.

There are two authors I’ve come across who acknowledge the fallacy in this way of thinking:
Becca Syme, a Gallup-certified Strengths Coach (who encourages us to QTP - Question the Premise - before accepting advice and feeling bad if the "system" doesn't work for us), and Jordan Raynor, who says:

“Nearly every author promise[s] that his or her method to solving our time management problems is easy … the work of redeeming your time will not be easy, but it will be worth it.”

Raynor points out that if we are to redeem our time and become more like Christ, we need to start with Christ.

In Redeeming Your Time, Raynor takes readers through a series of principles and practices we can use to better utilise our time. Yes, he shares his own personal productivity system, but doesn’t teach it as the One True Way. Where he does advise on a specific practice, the rationale is backed either by Scripture or by science.

For example, he talks about the Zeigarnik effect, the tendency for uncompleted tasks to clutter our minds (sometimes to the point that we forget things … or is that just me?). This discussion brought to mind the many sermons I’ve heard where the pastor started by telling us to put out of our minds all those things on our to-do list and concentrate on God (meaning, concentrate on the sermon). My mind’s immediate reaction was to start listing all those unwritten tasks, to the point where I couldn’t concentrate on the sermon until I’d written them in the back of my sermon notebook. This is basic psychology … but is exactly what the speaker didn’t want.

Raynor points out there is a reason St Paul tells us to make all our prayers and petitions known to God—because clearing our minds will help our anxiety and stress. That may also be a reason some Christians like to journal: writing helps clear their mind so they can concentrate on what’s important.

Raynor is a fan of David Allen’s Getting Things Done workflow:

"I recognize that my ability to be hyper-productive is a gracious gift from God. But I credit Getting Things Done for being the dominant tool God has used deliver that grace in my life."

I took a lot of notes from Redeeming Your Time, and I will need to print them off, read them, and review them to work through what my “new normal” can and should look like now I am an empty-nester working three-plus days a week for a local company, rather than being the self-employed work-from-home mother of teenagers.

Will Jordan’s system (or any system) make me hyper-productive? Raynor says no (which is odd, but still a relief). Will it be easy? Raynor says no to that question as well. Will it help me get to the end of my to-do list? Raynor says no … and that’s okay because:

"God doesn’t need you to finish your to-do list … If the things on our to-do lists are on God’s to-do list, he will complete them with or without us."

I find that both encouraging and motivating. If it encourages you and you want to better utilise your time, then you might want to check out Redeeming Your Time.

Thanks to Waterbrook and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

Was this review helpful?

I loved this book! It combines time management techniques with spiritual nuggets.

There were MANY good ideas about how to use your time wisely and well. Ideas for uninterrupted time, sabbath rest, and how to be unhurried were all very helpful to me. I appreciated how the author gave the reader permission to skip over sections that they felt they didn't need help with (I didn't find much to skip). I also appreciated that the author gave personal examples. I loved the infusion of scripture into the book.

I continue to think about things I've read in this book, I've recommended this book to others, and I have told numerous people at least one thing I learned from the book. In other words, I'm raving about it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

We feel swamped. The solution to our struggle with time management, Raynor says, is Jesus Christ. First, we have peace in Him. Second, He shows us how God manages time.

Raynor looks to the Author of time to help us know how we address time. In that sense, in addition to a how-to book, this is a why-do book. It centers on the gospel. We are encouraged to redeem the time, manage our time wisely and carefully. (Eph.5:15-17) The result is not more time for our own pleasures but to further the kingdom.

Raynor explores seven principles drawn from the commands of Jesus or the way He lived His life. Stories, science and Scripture are combined to for the foundation and illustrations of the principles. Tested practices are suggested for each principle. He also offers resources and tutorial videos at his website.

While many of the practical suggestions will not be new, the reasons behind them may be. One that impressed me was solitude (silence). We are well aware of the distraction of technology and that we need to control it. Raynor reminds us of the many times Jesus sought solitude, even when crowds were pursuing him. That gave me a truly spiritual reason to temper social media time.

This is a good book for readers who are interested in the spiritual principles behind good time management. You'll get valuable insights into how our time relates to God and His mission. You'll find practical strategies too. But, as Raynor says, this is not a quick fix. It took him more than a decade to work out his own time management. It's hard work, he says, but worth it.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I've read one or two or ten books on productivity--both secular and faith-based--and this one definitely ranks up near the top of them, if not right at the top.

I appreciate Raynor's sense of humor, grasp of lingo to make the messaging relevant to my demographic (we probably share the same demographic, lol ... that would explain a lot!), and passion for the Word of God.

Hands down, my favorite sections were on solitude, silence (#introvertlife), and our mission. That last one, in particular, is such a refreshing counterpoint to the absurdly prolific messaging throughout basically every sector: "Find your passion." "Develop your mission statement." Raynor reminds the reader that our mission statement is not to be one we create on our own ... but is one God already has that we get to join in on.

I also loved the emphasis on depth--spending focused, concerted effort on one thing at a time. Our world lauds the ability to multitask--but as we see in so many arenas, "paying attention" to a lot of things at once really means surface-level attention at best. Anyone who's spoken to someone looking at their phone knows that the "uh-huh" is noncommittal and often results in a "I'm sorry, I know you said something, but what was it again?" response five minutes later (if we're lucky, haha). This section was particularly convicting to me.

The read merits going slowly--parsing out in sections where applicable--rather than reading straight through and trying to do it all at once. Reflection and enjoyment of the process are equally as important as reaching the destination.

Raynor mentioned several times (:D) that John Mark Comer is one of his favorite pastors, so that prompted me to look the man up. Looks like we have a few theological differences, and I'd be curious to hear more about what makes him Raynor's favorite pastor; that wasn't really delved into here (but that's fine, it's not a book subtitled "Why JMC is my favorite," lol!). Thankfully, plenty of other authors, pastors, etc. that I _do_ immensely enjoy (Tim Keller, C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, N.T. Wright, and so on) were also included, and I loved it!

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Woah that was good! This is a game changer when it come to biblical time management books.

One of the best books on time management I have read thus far, in fact I will be purchasing a few extra copies to gift to friends. It couldn't have come at a better time being a new mom trying to better manage my time.

Other than its biblical foundation, what I really like about this book is it practicality. After Jordan dives into the theory, he provides practical steps you can incorporate to implement a particular concept as you proceed through each chapter. Chapter 2 was definitely a game changer for me and by far my favorite, although all the chapters were excellent. Here he provided what I call the secret sauce to staying on top of your to do list and getting things done with a proven workflow. Once you understand his workflow system you can certainly tweak it to make it your own.

If you are looking for the secret sauce to redeeming your time and want a easy to read and super practical book, look no further. Get ready to be transformed, a must read book if you are hoping to become purposefully present and wildly productive.

Was this review helpful?

This is without a doubt, the best book I have read on productivity in as long as I can remember. Today, more than ever, it is far too easy and too common to lose ourselves in our busy schedules, to become overwhelmed and stressed so much that we lose sleep, become disorganized, and can cause use to get LESS work done rather than more as a result. If you can see this problem in your own life, this book is for you.

Raynor tells us that the solution to our struggle with time management is found in Jesus Christ. Raynor provides a wonderful frame and a perfect layout that flows seamlessly; Raynor takes a humble and refreshing approach, removing us from the center and putting God in His rightful place. Including 7 biblical principles inspired by Jesus’ time on earth and 32 practices that will reshape your life

While reading this book I found it impossible to keep myself from sharing ideas with friends and family, pausing my reading to deeply reflect, and starting to implement these strategies right away. With so many options for self=help books and books on productivity in general it is refreshing to feel the calling to use this book before I even finished it.

This book is more than practical, its inspiring and life changing; Something that is needed now more than ever by the majority of our population. Please do yourself and your friends and family a favor and give this book a chance to change your life in the ways you're seeking, and ways that you may not even realize you're needing.

Thank you to netgalley and publisher for providing an e-copy of this book for me to read and share my honest opinion. This book was granted to me at the perfect time and I can't wait to give a copy to everyone I know!

Was this review helpful?

This was - by far - the best book I've read on productivity. And trust me, I've read a lot of them.

Let's start with Jordan's writing style. In this book, he would seamlessly transition from quoting C.S. Lewis to quoting Taylor Swift, and referencing some of the greatest theologians to referencing Hamilton or The Office. It made this book fun to read and it made Jordan relatable, while still keeping the theology solid and the conversation productive. Also, with his concise writing style he packed a ton of knowledge into 256 pages, so I learned a lot without having to spend hours and hours working through the book (like some others I could mention).

On to the actual content. While most productivity books largely focus on either theory or best practices, this book effortlessly meshed the two. Each of the seven topics covered started with their theological basis, then explained how they were scientifically valid, and ended with a list of ways to implement the idea into your life in a practical manner.

The best part of this book was that, because each of the seven principles was based on Jesus' life, the priority was not 'get what you have to do done so you can go have fun.' The focus was on using your time to the best of your ability so that you can glorify God as much as possible, whether that means finishing your to-do list or postponing it to help a neighbor. So many books prioritize what's best for you or what you want to do, and this has made me a bit uncomfortable when it comes down to implementing the practices they suggest. Because Jordan's principles prioritize Jesus, though, I feel no hesitation doing anything he suggests.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to everyone looking to use their time to the best of their ability.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. All comments and opinions are entirely my own, and I am writing a voluntary review.

Was this review helpful?

An uncontrolled busy life can cause us to forget why we are living. Jordan Raynor knows what it's like to be busy and in his book, Redeeming Your Time, he shares his experience with time management skills. Redeeming Your Time is not just another self help book. It's a book about how to value your time so you can be at peace with unexpected God-appointed interruptions.

Raynor includes examples from Jesus' life and offers practical advice on how to better manage your To-Do List. He explains reasons why we need to manage our time, documented research, and gives samples from his own schedule. Raynor doesn't let you sit back and just read. He puts what he says into practice by giving you specific things to do with your own schedule. You get to practice what you read.

At first glance there is a lot of extra information that you might think is unnecessary and it may appear boring, but boring it isn't. The biographical stories of people who used their time wisely were amazing and the explanation of how God created us to function was fascinating. The extra tidbits make you sit back and say, "Wow! I never knew that!" Next, you'll find yourself reading bits and pieces to everyone you know.

I enjoyed this book and will reread it often. It reminded me that my days are numbered and I need to value the time God gives me. This was one of the best and most interesting books about time management I've read. This isn't a book to rush. Instead spend time doing the practices so that you can discover the skills that work for you. The goal is to find ways to steward your time well.

I've benefited from already putting into practice a few of the things I learned and plan to add a few more of his ideas. All adults, college students and teenagers will also benefit from reading Redeeming your Time by Jordan Raynor. It is biblically based, backed by scientific research and inspiring. It will make a great gift for graduations, new moms-to-be, and for anyone facing a new phase in their life.

Thank you, Waterbrook and Multnomah, for the free ebook via NetGalley. I am not required to give a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own. ”

Was this review helpful?

OK so this book is not meant for people that have ADHD or any other Nuro divergent.


And being somebody with ADHD and who is gifted (not a brag trust me you don’t want to be)

I can tell you books like this that I’ve tried to cram myself into for a good majority of my adult life have never helped.

Elements of them and I’m gonna be taking elements from here half the method that they use is meant for Neuro typical brains that work very well and structure

Not brains that want to be like oh look shiny sparkly thing

I do like that the author talks about needing to take rest and then that matters and it’s good for brain health very helpful

I’m looking at it from a biblical point of you is very different than a lot of these books are
It also doesn’t fall into a lot of the pinholes a lot of these books do which is nice to see

But for me and his ability for me really doesn’t work

My brain doesn’t work the way other peoples brains work.
It’s using a different operating system and getting a software that runs on a standard operating system doesn’t work on my brain
Apparently I’ve got computers in my mind right now
I can see what this would be helpful for somebody who doesn’t have ADHD.

It might help you things in perspective. But for me I look at these tasks and think I could never accomplish it therefore I’m a failure thanks brain

So yeah just now this is not for people that are non-Nuro typical And as always thank you to Not Galli for sending me this from you copy

Was this review helpful?

We all wish we had more time in our lives, but what if we had a system to use the time we have more effectively. There are plenty of time management or self help books out there but Jordan presents a more powerful system using seven powerful time- management principles drawn from the example of how Jesus lived. Hands down, the only time management book you will need!

Jordan has an amazing writing style that makes you feel like you are sitting with him in front of a fire, talking as old friends. Jordan's book will help you recapture you time, become more productive and become as Christlike as possible!

Was this review helpful?

Revolutionize the way you live your life! 

You may not believe me when I write this, but Jordan Raynor’s latest release, Redeeming Your Time, is one of the most TRANSFORMING books you will read this year! With thousands of motivational books professing to have found the “elixir of time management,” Jordan Raynor takes a humble and refreshing approach, removing us from the center and putting God in His rightful place. Including 7 biblical principles inspired by Jesus’ time on earth and 32 practices that will reshape your life, Redeeming Your Time is more than a self-help book; it’s a tool that will put the puzzle pieces of your life together to ensure that you are doing your most effective work for the Kingdom of God!

Jesus knew He didn’t have a lot of time to fulfill His mission, so He was purposeful with how He spent each day. Nevertheless, while it was essential for Him to be among the people and minister to the lost, Jesus also showcased the importance of separating ourselves from the noise and spending time in silence. Today, we live in a world of unending noise, distractions, and idols that want to divert our attentions away from the purpose and calling God has placed on our hearts; however, we don’t have to remain in this constant state of feeling swamped by our work and personal lives. It’s time we learn how to turn off the noise, prioritize what matters most, understand the importance of rest, and close the open loops that are distracting us from successfully diving into productive, deep work!

"Deep work makes the dream work." ~ Jordan Raynor

Jordan Raynor’s personality shines through each page of Redeeming Your Time! Writing in a conversational rather than lecture kind of way, readers will resonate with Jordan’s message and the practices he encourages everyone to implement into their lives. Debunking the myths that work gets us into the Kingdom of God and that we were created to experience the thrill of life (YOLO), Jordan does a FABULOUS job of redirecting readers to the truth. He writes, “No matter how productive you are in this life, your status as an adopted child of God will never ever change…God has given us work to do! We’re not here to just coast through life. We are here on a mission to glorify God by doing as much good for others as possible.”

Redeeming Your Time is by far the best book I have read all year! As someone who was struggling to complete my tasks and fulfill my goals, this book not only gave me the guidance to no longer feel overwhelmed by my usual juggling act, but it also taught me how to restore my time without reducing the work I have been called to do! One of the most humbling encouragements I found in this book was the reminder that “while it may appear that we will all die with unfinished symphonies, ultimately this is just an illusion, as 'God is able to bring eternal results from our time-bound efforts.' (Jordan Raynor  & Jen Wilkin— also, see Philippians 1:6). After reading these words, I realized the false pressure I had put on myself to race to the finish line, always looking to the future to make sure I will finish the work set out for me, rather than embracing what God is doing in the present. Once I released this weight, I noticed that my work became more meaningful and productive and that I'm no longer afraid that I will be a disappointment if I die before completing the vision God has given me!

“See then that you walk exactly, not as the unwise, but as the wise, redeeming the time, because the days are wicked.” ~ Ephesians 5;15-16 (TS2009)

"We’re called to model Jesus’ example of counting the cost and eliminating hurry from our schedules. We’re called to glorify the Father by doing good works for others. We’re called to reflect Jesus by being purposeful, present, and wildly productive. In short, we’re called to redeem our time." ~ Jordan Raynor

If you are one of the many people who feel as though the waves of busyness and noise are constantly pummeling you underwater, I cannot recommend Redeeming Your Time enough! In fact, if you’re ready to commit to revolutionizing and redeeming your time, I want to encourage you to sign up for Jordan Raynor’s 7-week Coaching Community — a program that goes through each chapter with a community of international participants, weekly zoom calls with Jordan himself, and one-to-one coaching! Doing this course was a huge blessing and provided me with accountability as I began implementing the new habits I formed through reading this book! And, here’s the best part, until October 18th, Jordan Raynor is offering a 60% discount on his upcoming program! It’s an incredible deal that is worth the money! Click on the link below to sign up today!

https://access.jordanraynor.com/redeeming-your-time-coaching-community 

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a pre-release copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own!*

Was this review helpful?

This is a stand alone book for planning out your day. I have always struggled in finding the right plan for me and what works. The author of this book is very disciplined and he pushes you a lot on why he is the way that he is. His answer is Jesus didn’t wasn’t his time on earth, why should we? Jesus was very disciples so we should as well. It is hard to argue against that.

I think overall this book was very heavy in detail and I can understand why. I would say move through this book slow and mark it up. Highlight and write and much as you can in this book and continue to come back to it. It is a one stop shop for anyone that is trying to become more disciplined.

One of my favorite topics in the book was a couple different ways that you can schedule out your day and how we have 4 hours of productive work a day so lets make them count. I really enjoyed the 90 min on and 15 min rest as you go throughout the day and add in a couple phone calls and message breaks here and there.

Was this review helpful?

Time Management books abound, but Redeeming Your Time: 7 Biblical Principles for Being Purposeful, Present, and Wildly Productive by Jordan Raynor has what they do not. This book begins and concludes with the ultimate Time Management expert: Christ. His earthly example shows us how to get the background scenario right before we plunge into the practical how-to. The author has provided a solid foundation for changing our attitude about and motivation for budgeting our time to advising us on how to gracefully say no to requests for our time.

I love this book because the author explains the Why before the What. The 7 Biblical Principles are Start With the Word, Let Your Yes Be Yes, Dissent from the Kingdom of Noise, Prioritize Your Yeses, Accept Your "Unipresence", Embrace Productive Rest, and Eliminate All Hurry. Each chapter gives detailed Practices (step by step actions to take to live out that chapter's premise).

Do you delight in planning almost every moment of your day? Love calendars that are almost charts? This how-to even includes the author's own Time Management examples as well as more downloadable resources available on his website. Organized, but not that organized? You can easily craft your own Time Budget plan of which Practices you want to use and which are a bit too detailed for your preference.

I have begun following many of the Practices the author describes. I have seen what I accomplish each day definitely become more purposeful and productive!

Note: I received a review copy of this book from Net Galley.

Was this review helpful?

The Things I Love

❤️  It zeroes in our ultimate purpose in life which is to glorify our Creator, the Author of time,  in everything we do, no matter how simple or complicated it may be. One way to do this is to produce quality work all the time.

❤️   I appreciate what Raynor said about our freedom to choose the callings that can fulfill our ultimate purpose. In the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and Rapid Planning Method, these callings are called the roles we play at work and home. Raynor's three primary callings are husband, father, and entrepreneur.

Following the 5 Floors of Priority, the book teaches the next steps to do after identifying your roles and your long-term goals for each role. This is the fun part because you get to write the dreams you wish to fulfill in every aspect of your life and these dreams are turned into projects and actions lists which are parts of the Commitment Tracking System created by Raynor. When you get the hang of it, you will turn your dreams into reality by using the system.   As Tony Robbins said, “If you talk about it, it's a dream, if you envision it, it's possible, but if you schedule it, it's real.”

❤️ As reinforcements to practicing Redeeming Your Time, additional resources such as free videos, downloads, and links are provided on Raynor's website, https://jordanraynor.com/ryt.

I think this book is perfect for people who want to know their purpose in life and to fulfill that purpose with stress-free productivity.

Thank you Jordan Raynor, NetGalley , and WaterBrook for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I have enjoyed each of Jordan's books. At times, however, during Redeeming Your Time, I would begin to be overwhelmed with all the details in this particular title. Yet, once I stepped back and reminded myself these are suggestions and Jordan explaining his processes the overwhelmed sensation left. I have gleaned the parts which I believe fit me and encourage readers to do the same.

Was this review helpful?

I’ve read all of Jordan’s books thus far and really appreciate the way he brings scripture into everything he writes. With a hyper-focus on time management, the book was full of actionable exercises for professionals but I missed his usual storytelling. It felt like he was trying to cover a lot in one book. I got the most from his fourth chapter, Prioritize Your Yeses. All in all, it was worth the read and inspired a few notes.

Was this review helpful?