I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before, but my husband is very meticulous and thoroughly thorough with all he does. Nothing is done half-way with him. No matter what he is doing, he does it well. I mean, when the guy puts mayonnaise on a sandwich, it is spread with such love and care, one would think that Jesus himself was coming over for a picnic.

I, on the other hand, am completely non-meticulous and absolutely un-thorough. I figure I can get more done with my time if I hurry through jobs. Therefore, I slap sandwiches together, figuring that the mayo will surely smear itself around once it meets the cheese. I don’t measure ingredients when I cook. I don’t always close drawers or cabinets after I grab something out of them. I hate reading instruction manuals, and don’t ever ask me to paint your walls.

And this, my friends, is my secret method for getting a lot accomplished each day. Yes, my advice for you all is to simply do a half-hearted job of everything you do, and no matter what, do not be thorough, especially when making sandwiches. ;)

I’m kidding of course, except for the part about the mayo. Here are my five (real) ideas for ways I have found to accomplish much each day:

1. Get Plenty of Sleep

Cutting out sleep in an effort to give myself more awake hours in the day is actually counter-productive for me. If I focus on getting the sleep I need, I feel much more energetic and can fly through the day getting all kinds of work done.

2. Get Off the Computer/Couch/TV/Phone

There are fantasic benefits to all of the above. But if your time spent on each of them is not productive for your family, your work needs, and most importantly, for God’s Kingdom, get off. The end.

3. Make a List…and Then Do It

Not everyone likes making lists. I get that. But I find that if my to-do list is just swirling around in my head, I simply feel overwhelmed, and instead of plugging away at all I need to do, I feel bound by all I need to do and will, in turn, accomplish nothing. Write it down. Put your to-do list in perspective. Then start knocking it out, one thing at a time.

4. Stay Home

Funny thing about not being home – I can’t get anything done at home when I’m not here. As much as I love being with people, going to ball games, participating in home school activities, etc., I find that I can get so much more accomplished if I prioritize our outside needs and work to be home as much as possible.

5. Pray

We are on this earth to love God and serve his people. Pray for God to show you how to use your time in a productive way that glorifies him. When we are focused on living our life God’s way, much can be accomplished!

And for the record, my husband’s ability to be meticulous is very much appreciated. The paint going up on our living room walls is looking fantastic. Why? Because Matt is doing it, not me. Need I remind you of the slapping that goes on when I make sandwiches? That method is not recommended for wall painting.

Be sure to read all of these great 5 Simple Ways posts:

• Springs Bargains-5 Simple Ways To Save More By Wasting Less
• A Familiar Path- 5 Simple Ways To Make The Most Of Your Pictures
• Smockity Frocks- 5 Simply Ways To Occupy Preschoolers
• My Blessed Life- 5 Simple Ways To Update Your Home Decor
• The Happy Housewife- 5 Simple Ways To Save Money In 2012
• Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures- 5 Simple Ways To Save Money In The Kitchen
• I’m an Organizing Junkie- 5 Simple Ways To Organize Without Spending Big Bucks
• Balancing Beauty and Bedlam- 5 Simple Ways To Freshen Up Your Wardrobe for 2012
• Southern Saver- 5 Simple Ways To Not Get Overwhelmed in Couponing

I do not get up before dawn each morning. Instead, I sleep until my body is well rested, and then I get out of bed. (It’s a novel idea – you should try it. I call it my “we’re often up late and if I don’t get enough sleep I get sick so this is how I avoid coming down with pneumonia strategy”.)  For a long time, I’ve struggled with the way my “sleeping in” looks to others. If I’m just getting out of bed at 7:45 am, might some think I am being lazy? Maybe, although, if you’re feeling brave, ask my husband if I’m lazy. He’s likely to ask you how long you’ve got so that he can give you a detailed run-down of what my days look like. ;)

The real question should be, do you or your uncle or your neighbor’s cousin’s dog really care what time I get up in the morning? Do I really think there are people sitting at their desk or at their kitchen table drinking coffee, pondering what time Laura gets up each morning? If I think that people are actually doing this, how self-focused am I anyway?

Do you ever worry about stuff like this? Are there decisions you’ve made in your life that you feel good about, or are even convicted about, yet you worry about what others might think of your decision?

For instance, I love schooling my kids at home and grinding flour to make our bread and baked goods from scratch. I feel called by God to do these things for my family. But I promise that I don’t sit at my kitchen table drinking coffee, pondering the fact that you might send your kids to school, buy white bread from the store or hand your kids a Twinkie for an afternoon snack. You know why I’m not pondering your choices over a cup of coffee? Because I trust that you are living your life the way you feel God is calling you to live. And also because I don’t like coffee.

The question is then, are we all walking around judging each other, or are we all just walking around thinking that everyone else is judging? Do we look at what others are doing and feel “less than” because we aren’t doing what they seem to be doing? If so, by whose standard are we living and by whose criteria are we making choices?

If we’re spending time worrying about what others think of us, it seems to me that we’re wasting a lot of God-given time that could be used in a much more productive way for the Kingdom.

I am working to believe that it really doesn’t matter what others think about the way I live my life. What matters in my life is that I am following God’s calling for me according to scripture. What matters is that I am listening to what He is asking me to do, serving the people He puts in my path to serve, and honoring Him in my choices and actions.

By whose standard are you living?