Reflections by S.M.A: Tick-Tock: How time makes or breaks us

There’s a popular riddle that asks: “What flies without wings?” The answer, of course, is time. It slips through our fingers like sand, silently but relentlessly. The sobering part? Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever.

Every one of us gets exactly twenty-four hours a day—no matter where we were born, how wealthy we are, or what title sits before our name. The real difference between people who thrive and those who struggle is not talent, background, or even opportunity—it’s how they use their time.

As Benjamin Franklin warned, “Lost time is never found again.”

The Cost of Poor Time Management

Let’s be honest: most of us have been guilty of mismanaging time. We say, “I’ll start tomorrow,” only for tomorrow to turn into next week. We convince ourselves that we work best under pressure, when in reality we’re just procrastinating.

Picture this: a wedding invitation says the programme starts at 10 a.m. You arrive promptly, only to find an empty hall and chairs still being arranged. Two hours later, the bride appears, radiant but late. Guests are frustrated, the band is exhausted, and the event drags well into the evening.

Or consider office meetings. The invite says “9:00 a.m. sharp.” In reality, the first thirty minutes are spent waiting for “key people” who stroll in with no apology, followed by another thirty minutes of small talk about traffic, football, or politics. By the time the actual agenda begins, the day is half gone.

This is not just a “cultural quirk.” Chronic lateness and poor time management—what we jokingly call “African Time”—is costing us as individuals and as nations. It weakens trust, derails productivity, and quietly chips away at progress.

As the Akan proverb says: “If it were possible to go back for what was forgotten, time would not exist.”

Why We Keep Losing Time

So why do we keep falling into this trap? A few culprits stand out:

• Procrastination: The false comfort that “there’s still time.”
• Distractions: From endless WhatsApp group chats that never end, to saying “just one more episode” on Netflix until it’s 3 a.m.
• Poor Planning: Jumping into the day without a roadmap.
• Busyness vs. Productivity: Mistaking activity for accomplishment.

We’ve all been there—scrolling through Facebook, telling ourselves “just five minutes,” only to look up and find two hours gone. That’s time we’ll never get back.

A Tale of Two Students

Let me share a simple story. Two university students—Ama and Kojo—had the same coursework and the same number of hours in a day.

Ama used a planner, broke assignments into chunks, and studied steadily. She still had time to relax, attend fellowship, and hang out with friends.

Kojo, however, postponed everything. He crammed the night before, ran on coffee and panic, and often turned in half-baked work. He also spent countless hours debating politics on WhatsApp and watching highlights of matches he had already seen live.

At the end of the semester, Ama excelled calmly while Kojo barely scraped through. Both had twenty-four hours each day. The only difference? Ama treated time as an asset, while Kojo treated it as an afterthought.

Life works the same way.

Time as a Divine Trust

From a faith perspective, time is sacred. Psalm 90:12 prays, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

Jesus Himself demonstrated perfect time management. Despite the demands of His ministry, He balanced prayer, work, rest, and even social life. In John 9:4, He declared, “I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” His life was urgent yet orderly—purposeful, not frantic.

Every tick of the clock is, in fact, a divine gift.

How Poor Time Management Derails Nations

It’s not just individuals who suffer when time is wasted. Entire nations lose momentum.

Think of stalled infrastructure projects, court cases dragging for decades, or endless policy “consultations” that lead nowhere. Or the fact that many of our public events don’t start on time—even funerals, where the guest of honour (the deceased) is already present!

Contrast this with Japan, where trains are so punctual that a delay of sixty seconds makes national news. Their culture of respecting time drives efficiency and progress.

Imagine if our societies treated time with the same respect. Schools would start on time, businesses would deliver consistently, governments would act swiftly, and development would accelerate.

Wisdom of the Ages

Across cultures, sayings remind us of time’s importance:

• “Time and tide wait for no man.” – Geoffrey Chaucer
• “The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” – Michael Altshuler
• African Proverb: “Tomorrow belongs to people who prepare for it today.”
• Riddle: “I am always going ahead, never behind. You can’t keep me, but you can spend me. What am I?” (Answer: Time).

These aren’t just clever words—they are roadmaps for wiser living.

Practical Steps for Mastering Time

Here are a few ways to redeem the clock:

1. Set Priorities: Not everything urgent is important. Learn to focus.
2. Plan Ahead: Use lists, calendars, or apps. Remember: failing to plan is planning to fail.
3. Break Tasks Down: A mountain looks smaller when you climb one step at a time.
4. Limit Distractions: Guard your attention as fiercely as your bank account.
5. Be Punctual: Arriving early signals respect and preparedness.
6. Rest: Productivity thrives on balance. Even God rested on the seventh day.

Living with Purpose

Apostle Paul urged in Ephesians 5:16, “Make the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”

Time, unlike money, cannot be stored or borrowed. You cannot save today’s hours for tomorrow. Every minute wasted is an opportunity gone.

Whether you are leading a company, nurturing a family, or pursuing personal dreams, the key lies in treating time as your most valuable currency.

Final Thoughts

There’s an old saying: “What is it that we all want, but once we have, we waste?” The answer, sadly, is time.

If we treat time as sacred, purposeful, and non-negotiable, everything else—productivity, progress, relationships, even spiritual growth—will fall into place.

Remember James 4:14: “You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” Life is brief. The clock is ticking.

So the next time you’re tempted to spend two hours arguing in a WhatsApp group about who the best striker in the Premier League is, pause and ask yourself: Is this really the best use of my time?

Time is life. Use it wisely.

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