Be Smart!

Dear Pastors

As this year draws to an end and a new year is just around the corner you will typically be thinking about 2020 and maybe even beyond. It is highly likely that you already have some kind of ministry plan (programme) in place at least for the first few months of the new year. You may also have given some thought to how you want to work – your work style. I maintain that this is as important as good programming for your organisation. Yes, it is about you working smarter not (necessarily) harder. Put another away, how can I use the 40-45 hours of ‘work’ time that I have every week (or 170-190 hours a month) in such a way that the important work I MUST do gets adequate time, focus and energy. And please remember there are 112 waking hours each and every week assuming 8 hours sleep a night.

So here a bunch of questions/suggestions that might help you work smarter in 2020.

1. What work (tasks and responsibilities) must you do? The things that cannot be delegated. Hint: The answer to this question is found in three places I think. What is God saying to you, what does your board/oversight expect from you and what does your job description already say? A lot more should be said here but another day perhaps.
2. How well do you plan your working week? What about the month ahead? Getting up and following your nose will get some stuff done but probably not that much and probably not the right stuff. Getting up and following a carefully considered plan will help you hugely get the right stuff done and efficiently at that.
3. What time of day are you at your best? For me it is the morning, always has been and quite early at that. Your energy levels are unique to you. Find out when you are most energised and determine to do your most important work then and let that become your best work.
4. Commit to some time management techniques. This is called business discipline. Things like blocking or chunking time, anything from 3 hours to a whole day. No distractions, goal setting, focus, brain breaks etc.
5. Being disciplined and working smarter go together. Study after study conclude that the person who has developed a good personal discipline to work will invariably be a higher achiever than that guy who meanders through the day with very little discipline, light on goals and who confuses ‘activity for productivity’. Note: Being disciplined is not the same as being rigid. I’ve met some leaders over the years who are so rigid that they are in fact very hard to work with and usually frightfully boring. Don’t be that guy.

So Pastor, aim to BE SMART in 2020 and then be amazed at what you have achieved in a relatively short space of time.

Blessings

Alan

Alan Vink is currently the Executive Director for LeadershipWorx. Prior to this role he has been the Executive Director of Willow Creek Association NZ (WillowNZ), a Baptist pastor (23 years), Bible College teacher, and church consultant.