Tuesday #5: Time Management

I interviewed Thad Spring of College Wesleyan church on 2/4

When I asked Thad about boundaries, he said that one of the most important things you can do in setting boundaries is making sure you take a day off. He said that this is something that is crucial to making sure you still have a life outside of work. The work we do as pastors is important, but not so important that we should completely loose ourselves in it. Consistently having a day when you don't go in to the office is helpful in keeping this in perspective.

In looking at time management, he said it is key to remember that there are ebbs and flows in ministry. A concept that was very helpful for him was remembering that time in ministry vs. home should not be viewed in a way that tries to keep things 50/50. He said there are times when ministry will demand more time than the family, but there are other times when the church does need a lot of time. If there is a major crisis within the church, it is expected that you will put in extra hours. Busy seasons like Easter and Christmas demand extra work. There are times though, that your family needs you to be present more than the church. If there is a major crisis at home, or a really big event in the life of one of your children, you should be at home and not the office. One other piece of advice Thad gave me was to block of particular times to accomplish particular tasks. Having time set aside to do something specific aids in keeping you focused.