Time management is a key component in effective leadership for pastors. Unfortunately, this is an area that many pastors struggle with. The nature of ministry is relational and entrepreneurial; these are often tensions that pull at one another. Is it possible to get things done and develop relationships with people? Here’s a look at how you can excel in managing your time.
Write everything down. This is a trick I learned from David Alan in his book, “Getting Things Done.” He calls it a brain dump; it’s taking everything in your brain and putting it on paper daily. It could be a promise you made to grab coffee with someone or a meeting you wanted to set up next month. Whatever it is, write it down. Once you write it down, have a system to execute it.
Use your calendar. Your daily calendar is a great way to help manage your time. From meetings to tasks to accomplish, putting them in your calendar is a great way to ensure you get it done on the day and time you indicated in your calendar.
Give yourself time for meetings with people. Sometimes we schedule one hour for meetings, but that does not allow time for connecting and chit-chatting. I always recommend 75 - 90 minutes for a meeting to allow you time to ask relationship-building questions.
Plan ahead. Take one day every quarter to plan on the things you know are coming down the pipe: sermon series, board meeting agendas, training, etc. Take time to write down your thoughts, ideas, and research for these things so that a good chunk of the work is already done when you come to them. You will be so thankful that you’ve spent that day as the pace of life begins to move you along. If you have a team, it would be good to plan together.
Manage your personal life as well as your work life. We can look at the topic of time management and think, “that’s just for work.” The same principles can also be applied to your home and personal life: writing things down, putting them in your calendar, adding extra time, and planning ahead. If you can seek to manage your time both at work and home, it will leave you feeling at peace with how you’re spending your most valuable resource.
Like everything in leadership, this is a muscle you can exercise by trying it, evaluating it and making adjustments. Effective time management will make an effective leader.
Jeremiah works as an Effectiveness Coach with the ABNWT District of the PAOC. He is a passionate and creative leader who believes that the church is the hope of the world. He uses collaboration, innovation, and inspiration to challenge churches and their leadership to engage in the only mission Jesus ever sent his church on: making disciples.