putterings 396 < 397 > 398 index
wasting time in China; time well spent
How can Missionaries escape wasting time in China?
How can any person, anywhere, escape wasting time? Generally by resolving not to waste it, and then keeping the resolve. What is needed is not so much theory as determination.
There seem to be two classes of missionaries most in danger of wasting time; those who have too much to do and those with too little.
But the worst temptation to waste time comes most strongly to the missionary who “has so many things to do he doesn’t know where to begin.” And in the oft-repeated phrase is frequently found the key to the trouble. Such a missionary spends time puttering about with little and unimportant things often because he does not take time to arrange his work.
The process of arrangement is comparatively simple...
It is becoming increasingly easy to do this. In addition to the familiar diaries and engagement books of the past, there are now upon the market little memo books composed of perforated sheets. Ten minutes given to such a book each morning, jotting down the things to be done that day, is time well spent...
“Notes and Queries,” in The Chinese Recorder 52:12 (December 1921) : 854-856
Hoover Library copy, Stanford (via google books) : link
U Minnesota copy/scan (via hathitrust) : link