Happy New Year, friends! I hope your New Year is off to a fabulous start! My New Year started with a vacation – my first cruise – to the Caribbean. It was a long overdue vacation and I did not have any problem relaxing…the weather was warm, the food was great, the company was sweet and the views were amazing. See for yourself:
When I returned home, there were lots of things to catch up on – opening mail, unpacking, laundry, grocery shopping, email, catching up with my family (who stayed behind while I was away). “Where should I start?”, I asked myself.
Have you found yourself asking the same question? Ministry – and life in general – can be filled with long to-do lists. It can be overwhelming knowing where to start. Here are a few pointers that have helped me:
Make a to-do list. Simple, right? It is a burden lifted when I take a few minutes to simply write down all of the things swirling around in my head.
Prioritize the list. Take an honest look at what you’ve listed and determine what’s immediate, what can wait, what can be delegated, what can be eliminated.
Move forward. Work your list and make your list work for you. Jump in and start knocking things off of the list. Don’t procrastinate!
Set time limits. What can you do in an hour? What can you do in five minutes? You might be surprised how much you can knock out when you’re focused and have a time frame to work within.
Eliminate distraction. No social media. No email. Put your cell phone on vibrate. Set your desk phone to “Do not disturb.” Go to a quiet place (I love working at the library). You get the idea.
Cross things off of the list as you work. Seeing things scratched off the list can be one of your biggest motivators!
How do you keep ‘first things first’? I’d love to hear what you do!