How To Grow A Long Term Team
Photo (Jen)
Productivity means more to a minister. If we are not productive with the time we have people around us suffer. Most ministers are work long hours: 50, 60 or even 70 hours each week. But chances are, given distractions like online entertainment, office snacking habits, and ill-designed time management, we’re only churning out high-quality work a portion of each day.
Here are five practical steps to incorporate into any minister’s routine to optimize you your time and productivity all day long:
Pick 3 wins for tomorrow.
Decide on the three things that you’d like to accomplish the next day for you to feel like the day was a success. Sure, not every day will be an epic win, but strategizing in this way will help to move the ball forward.
Start your day out easy.
Mornings are more productive if everything is prepped the night before. Go ahead and decide EVERYTHING the night before, especially if you’re not a morning person.
- Prep your breakfast and supplements.
- Lay out your clothes.
- Decide your “wins” for the next day. (from step 1)
- If you’re going to the gym, pack your gym bag.
One of the things I’ve discovered is that once I’m up and moving, I am fine. Create routines the night before so that you can create easy routines for your mornings.
Work off your calendar, not your task list.
One of the most common mistakes people make in ministry is not turning to-do lists into time-bound, efficient project lists. I’ve found that individuals who have mastered this hack are far more likely to deliver tasks on time.
It’s simple: For each of the big things on your list, block off the amount of time on your calendar that you estimate the task might take — and then add 33% more time just to be sure. If a project is multi-day or has dependencies, break it up into digestible chunks. Use one block to plan and a second or third block to accomplish.
7 minutes of exercise.
Yep, not 10 — just seven. Why? It’s short enough that it won’t impact the rest of your morning routine and long enough to shake off any residual sluggishness from the night before. Find a simple exercise routine that fits your life.
It could be an early morning or afternoon walk? It could be pushups, pullups and curls. (Resistance bands are awesome). The big thing is that you do something. If you are a little more serious but struggle with self-discipline, take baby steps. Buy a membership at a local gym that is on your way to the church. The first week or two, only commit to showering there. That’s right. Only go there to shower. If you shower and get dressed there, then you win!!! You won’t find it long before you’re working out.
Power up after lunch.
Take the 15 minutes right after lunch to refocus on the day. Get away from your computer, turn it off, sit in a conference room or the sanctuary and determine what you have on tap for the rest of the day.
Think about how the list you set up last night is shaping up. Are you ahead of schedule? Behind schedule? You’ll find that these 15 minutes help you identify how you got derailed, what’s causing you distractions and help you to rediscover a rhythm to be productive all day long.
Give this simple formula a try for a week and I’ll bet you are more effective and efficient in ministry.
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