5 Tips for College Ministers Getting More Done

Don't you wish you had a dollar for every day you did not do any of what you had planned or thought you would do that day?  College Ministers' days are often crazy busy, but at the end of the day, we often feel we did not get much done.  Here are some ideas that may help a little.

1.  Do not open social media (facebook, emails, etc) until 10:30.
Often, we see a message we need to respond to or someone has a task they need us to do.  How would it change your day and accomplishment, if you spent the first two hours of your day each day doing what you deemed most important or significant that day...rather than what someone else thought?

2.  Do your prep work for speaking away from campus.
When I had an on campus office in our BCM Center, I learned that was the worst place to do my prep work for speaking each week.  Someone would need to talk to me for just a minute or there would be a phone call I needed to take.  When I began to do my prep work away from the Center, I got done in three or four hours what took all day at the Center.  My prep was better AND I was more available on campus.

3.  Schedule a time each week that is "paperwork time".
College Ministers are notorious for not getting reports, etc done on time.  For me, Friday morning was paperwork day.  Have a set time blocked out when you do it.  You will get it done on time and not be frustrated by it others times thinking, "I need to do that.".

4.  Keep a file that you throw "Talk Ideas" into.
Sometimes, you come across an article that gives you a great idea.  Just copy or tear it out and throw it in your folder.  Sometimes, doing your quiet time you have a great idea for a talk.  Jot it down on a piece of paper and throw it in your idea file.  When it comes time to plan and lay out your talks for the semester, it is wonderful to pull that file out.

5.  Schedule one day a month to hide out and work on major projects.
Sometimes we are so busy on a daily basis, it is hard to think about and plan for the big picture.  Or, we cannot get that Bible study series written that we have always wanted to do.  This also will help your personal sense of accomplishment.