Understand the value of your time. In the corporate world, managers are encouraged to assess the actual dollar value of their time. This helps the person and their staff understand that time equals money. As much as the church is not focused on money as the corporate world is, a minister should understand that his time is very valuable and it is limited.
Invest your time wisely. Understand that you only have so much time to invest in a given ministry, project or person. Make the best use of it. Don’t allow distractions or other people’s agendas to keep you from staying on track. A minister should be allowed the same courtesy as any other professional when it comes to his time.
Think of your time like you think of your money. You would never think of investing your money unwisely or just wasting it on every person would ask you for it. You would consider wisely where it should be spend and on who. Time is more valuable than your money, invest it wisely.
Set aside time each day to prioritize the demands on your time. Yes, you should be allowed to decide how your time should be spent. Prioritizing the demands of your time will allow you to spend time in areas where it is most needed and where the greatest return will come from it.
Take a break. Break your day up into segments. Allow certain amounts of time per project. Go to lunch. Long hours often decrease efficiency and productivity. Taking a break from your work can help you re-focus and gain energy you will need to finish a project.
Make an initial investment of time to rethink and improve your working habits. Consider how you handle interruptions, cold calls, the unexpected drop in, other people’s emergencies. What are the things that absolutely must get done that day? Make a list.
Guard your time. No one but you and your family will ever understand the sacrifice of time you give away every day. Realize that once your time is spent, you can never get it back. Set time aside for your family where “no one” can interrupt. In the office, it’s ok to let your office manager know you are not to be disturbed on occasion. When you have a task that has to get done, tell “everyone” to not disturb you between certain hours. Remember, it’s your time not theirs.
