A few years ago someone asked me about my greatest challenge in ministry. The answer was easy: margin. And I'm guessing that is the challenge many pastors feel.
Between pastoring, writing, and speaking I'm stretched pretty good. I especially feel that way after going over my 2010 calendar. Didn't leave as much margin as I could have or should have. Moving forward, I feel like I need more margin. It comes back to this simple truth: if you don't control your calendar, your calendar will control you.
Here are seven margin maxims:
1) Put Your Family First
2) Guard Your Day Off
3) Don't Check Email During Peak Productivity Hours
4) Get Out of the Office Whenever Possible
5) Start Your Day With Devotions
6) Put Together a Stop Doing List
7) Use All Your Vacation Days
Between pastoring, writing, and speaking I'm stretched pretty good. I especially feel that way after going over my 2010 calendar. Didn't leave as much margin as I could have or should have. Moving forward, I feel like I need more margin. It comes back to this simple truth: if you don't control your calendar, your calendar will control you.
Here are seven margin maxims:
1) Put Your Family First
2) Guard Your Day Off
3) Don't Check Email During Peak Productivity Hours
4) Get Out of the Office Whenever Possible
5) Start Your Day With Devotions
6) Put Together a Stop Doing List
7) Use All Your Vacation Days
8 Comments:
Very good thoughts! Thanks, Pastor Mark! Love the idea of a Stop Doing List! That may be a game changer for us in Seattle!
Good advice. I'm relatively new to full-time ministry and it took me a while to learn these lessons. Now, I LOVE Monday because it's my day off. I don't have a problem using all my vacation. I struggle with getting out of the office as much as possible - it's my nature to be 'onsite' as much as I can. The Stop Doing list is a new concept for me; sounds interesting. Maybe you can share a little more about developing a Stop Doing list?
Mike.
Good stuff Mark. I've noticed that this is something that you've talked about a lot before. It's good that you're showing everyone that it's an ongoing thing we have to wrestle with; otherwise, our calendars & our willingness to say "yes" will conquer us & most likely put a ceiling on our ability to really do effective ministry.
Ah yes, the stop doing list. I have just gained a better understanding of this. Mark, this is so true. We as pastors think that we have to do everything and be everywhere, and if something doesn't get done - well, the church is just going to fall apart. The truth of the matter is - we have to keep the main thing the main thing. Great post.
Think of the "stop doing" list as "cursing barren fig trees." What is consuming time and energy with very little return on investment?
Mark
Making a stop doing list was one of the best things I've ever done. Thanks for the advice!
I was one of the recipients of the Primal blog tour.
I was in Maryland over Christmas. Wanted to make to Ebeneezers... but seeing family is the priority!
But I did get to see Primal on the bookshelf at the Lifeway Store in Hagerstown, Maryland. I have to admit that I pulled one of the books out and placed it face out for everyone to see. Every little bit helps, right?
Hope to catch you if the Primal tour comes to Portland, Oregon.
Thank you for sharing. Great wisdom. I'm going to review my calendar now.
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