One of the toughest things to do in ministry, or in any occupation for that matter, is managing your time. In youth ministry, this brings about a great deal of challenges! It is easy to get tangled up in youth videos, surfing the net, looking at every student in your communities photos and facebook profiles, tweeting, blogging (hence, still read my blog), programming, fun, etc. It is very easy to do some of these things, and not get a lot done at the end of the day! Also, it is very easy to neglect your family, and this is a big NO-NO! Here are a few tips on how to manage your time effectively:
1. Focus on your relationship with Jesus above all
This is a no brainer, but it gets overlooked when you are dead tired from the night before with students and you sleep in and miss your quiet time with the one who created you. He can be overlooked in our ministries, and we can be all about doing, and forget about being, and being starts with your relationship with Jesus!
2. Plan a family night each week
This is vital and crucial to the success of your student ministry. We always use the cliche, “God, family, ministry;” and there is a great deal of truth in this, but do we live it? This is where it gets real. Do we actually live that cliche, or is it just a cliche for you? By the way if your relationship with Jesus is what it is supposed to be, this cliche will fall right into place. Each week, you need a family night to keep your family healthy, and to prove to your family that you mean and believe that cliche. Some people believe that you need an actual date night each week, and for me, this means going out somewhere nice for dinner and maybe a movie. This is nice, and for sure you should do this, but with my family, we cannot always afford or practically pull this off. so, we make sure that we as a family are together for an evening of the week in our home together. We will eat dinner together and watch television together. Make sure you have time for your family regularly.
3. Prioritize your “To Do” List
Each week, I would encourage you to look at your calendar and what you must get done. Analyze when and what needs to be done. Then, put it all together, and actually prioritize your list. Put what is the most important on top, and what is the least important on the bottom. Then, start from the top and work your way down. If you do not do this, you will find yourself doing the things on the bottom of the list when you must get the things at the top of your list completed first. I would encourage you to schedule some sit and think time to analyze your schedule.
4. Turn off emails and forward phone calls when working on “top” priorities
This is very tough to do for me. You may not have the ability or staff to forward your calls, but if you do, use it, and do not be afraid of it. Sometimes, we feel that we must answer every phone call, text, or email right away, but this is not the case at all! You must get your priorities completed, and then if you have time, answer your calls and emails.
Limit facebook usage – Now, I may be the only one who struggles with this, but I can look at a student’s profile for a long period of time. Sometimes, ministry calls for this, but not every day for an hour. It can be a waste of time, or it can be a huge asset to your ministry. Learn to use this for ministry. I have learned not to look at profiles or pictures, but primarily use facebook for groups, events, and for messaging.
