If you ask a kids ministry leader what their top needs are, you might discover a three-way tie between volunteers, time, and money/resources. I get it! Effective ministry requires all of these things, so today I want to share what has recently helped me around the area of time management – time blocking.
A glance through my planner (yes, I’m still a pen and paper planner girlie) would reveal LOTS and LOTS of lists. It’s a rare day that my work week schedule isn’t jam-packed. During the final stretch of our VBS planning at the end of May, I tried time blocking, a new-to-me technique.
Time Blocking Defined
I’d define time blocking as assigning a set time and timeframe to each item on your day’s to-do list. I’ve found that this method has allowed me to better focus on my priorities and allowed my productivity to increase, particularly when I group like tasks together.
Here’s an example of a recent day’s to-do list:
- Attend worship planning meeting
- Attend staff meeting
- Meet with [Next Gen Operations Coordinator]
- Continue curriculum edits
And here’s how I planned my day:
- 8:30 am – 8:45 am Unpack work bag/heat up breakfast
- 8:45 am – 9:00 am Eat breakfast
- 9:00 am – 9:30 am Check email
- 9:30 am – 9:55 am Get set up for the day
- 10:00 am – 11:15 am Attend worship planning meeting
- 11:15 am – 12:30 pm Attend staff meeting
- 12:30 pm – 1:00 pm Stretch legs, eat lunch
- 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Work on curriculum edits
- 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm Meet with [Next Gen Operations Coordinator]
- 2:30 pm – 3:00 pm Rectify receipts, stretch legs, update office calendar
- 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Email and other computer work
Did the day go exactly as planned? Probably not – but that’s ok. My calendar is a guide, not the master. Unexpected things pop up, things take longer (or not as long) to complete, and I can rearrange things as needed. Sometimes, after mapping out my plan, I realize that I might need to reprioritize my tasks and schedule them for another day.
What has helped me the most has been having a good pulse on my time and the space to focus without too much distraction.
Keep in mind:
- I don’t use a time blocking planner or worksheet. I use the planner I already own. Each day has 2 columns, each with 7 blank lines. In the left-hand column, I list my to-do list and I time block in the right-hand corner. That suits my needs perfectly!
- If something unexpected comes up and I can’t complete a task, I circle it so that it can be added to another day’s list.
- I estimate how long each task will take or how much time i can allot to it. Aside from meetings, most of my schedule is flexible.
- This method can be effective using a paper or digital planner.
As I’ve mentioned, this hack has helped me manage my time much better. If only it were that easy for volunteer recruitment and a bigger budget!
Now it’s your turn…what’s been a helpful time management hack for you?