5 Tasks To Add To Your Summer To-Do List

What do you do with your summer schedule? Is it already inundated with activities or are you planning on stepping away until the fall rolls around? While we all have different approaches, it’s important to approach summer as an opportunity. If you want to emerge from the summer months stronger than you entered them then  you need to add these five tasks to your to-do list:

DREAM BIG ABOUT YOUR MINISTRY AND SET A GOAL THAT SCARES YOU

You might be busy, but there is still time to step back and look at the bigger picture. That means taking a day away (Half day if that’s not possible) to go offsite and think about all the amazing things God is calling you to accomplish. You’ll want to:

• Assess the ministry from this past year
• Think about who you are trying to reach
• Create goals that will help you get there

Dream big and think of taking a risk. If it scares you share it with fellow youth ministers or volunteers who will give you honest feedback. Calculate the steps and develop a plan to put them into place. For more on dreaming big and setting goals, check out some of our tools by visiting the MYM Store.

Resource Your Team

SCHEDULE REGULAR CHECK-INS WITH PARENTS AND VOLUNTEERS

Summer schedules get a little more casual, and while it might be hard to have regular meetings with your teens, it’s the perfect opportunity to grab a coffee or a bite to eat with volunteers and parents. Block out a few times when you can do that and send out an invitation. You might have one, two or ten people join you, no matter who shows use the time to be relational. Try to learn about them and ask questions like:

• What are you most excited about for the upcoming year?
• What challenges did you see families face in the past year?

Maybe share what you are learning or what you hope to do, you don’t have to have a tight agenda, make the focus relational. The more you can connect, the stronger the relationships will be for the fall.

READ A BOOK TO RELAX AND GROW

How are you investing in yourself? I find summer is an easier time to read (Or listen to audiobooks) because of a more laid back schedule. Pick up a book that’s going to help you think differently about how you do ministry. If it’s a book about ministry incorporate it into your work schedule, use it as a way to step out of the busyness of paperwork and administrative work.

If you want to take the investment a step further read the book with another person. Take that time to discuss what’s going on and how you can apply it to what you do. If you need a recommendation, then check out Unrepeatable: Cultivating the Unique Calling of Each Person by Luke Burgis and Joshua Miller, Ph.D. It’s all about helping you and the people around you discover their unique calling in life.

TAKE A VACATION AND SHUT IT DOWN

It’s easy to cruise through summer without a break. The different schedule can lead us to believe we will have more margin; however, if you are not intentional, you’ll miss your opportunity. If taking a few days away isn’t going to work then shut it down on your days off. That means:

• Deleting work email from your phone
• Avoiding social media
• Doing only the things that refuel you

Taking the time to step away from the grind is critical. You’ll learn to let go of the craziness around you so when you jump back in your mind will be more precise.

With the rhythm of the world changing during the summer months, it’s an appropriate time to track the changes. One of the best ways to do that is through journaling or keeping a planner. Engaging in the habit of reflection will enable you to build a heart of gratitude and look ahead to where God wants to lead you.

I’ve been using the Monk Manual recently, and it’s enabled me to slow down and look at the bigger picture of my calling in life. It’s a simple planner that allows you to set your life in a less chaotic motion. To check it out, click HERE.

Don’t let summer pass you buy without a plan. Even if it’s already started to take some time to look at who you need to connect with, how you want to grow and where God is leading you.

What are you looking forward to the most this summer?