WHERE DID ALL THE TIME GO!?

As we get older, it is a common observation that time just flies, whether we are having fun or not!  I think at times I juggle time well - at other times, the juggling gets old: I just want to slow it down, take a nap and punt some things til a week from now. In my coaching work, the subject of time comes up a lot. There is never enough of it, it would seem.

I estimate that the average pastor is trying to do about 150% of what their predecessors did. Blame the digitalization of life. It’s easier than ever to squeeze in meetings or to edit something after hours.

Here are some of the core principles that I use with my clients as they seek to steward well their time:

1. Sabbath is a non-negotiable. Put that big rock in the bucket first!

2. Enter everything you do in your calendar. Make it a habit. This gets your eyes on your to do list, so that everything to be done is assigned a time in your calendar. You can move things around easily with today’s electronic calendars. If tomorrow at 3 pm you hit a wall and need to just get out for fresh air, you can move almost everything forward in time without letting any of it drop. But this works only if everything is in your calendar! 

3. Color-code your calendar entries in ways that you can study time usage. If, for example, your job is half community outreach and half youth ministry, it is helpful for you to color code these differently so that you can assess how you are keeping a balance between the two.  You may also choose to enter your basketball tickets and your spouse’s work party. Color-code those things as personal. Green is the color of personal events in my calendar. Show me a week on my calendar with very little green, and I know in advance I need to fix this before that week arrives!  For my sanity.

4. A brilliant mentor taught me that a day has three parts: morning, afternoon and evening. Times seven, a week has 21 parts. He said, “Paul you get to spend up to 12 parts on your work. And that’s it. Spend wisely.”  That is some of the best counsel anyone ever gave me: me, who so easily could have become workaholic. That mentor saved me from that, and my family!!

5. Trim and focus. In any quarter, decide the two big things that need to happen with the help of your leadership. Two things. In addition to showing up for standard duties.  If you have more than two mountains to climb, you need to consider spacing things out more into the future or sharing responsibilities with colleagues. 

These are a few rules of thumb that help us focus, execute effectively, and pace ourselves. Also, in each of these practices, it will become apparent that we can stop doing some things which yield little return.

Blessings to all of you busy people!