Protecting Your Calendar
It depresses me when I look up at my calendar to see that I’m booked every weekend for the next three months. It doesn’t matter if it involves...
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My pants were tight, my body felt sluggish and the only thing I wanted to do was hibernate the rest of winter. It doesn’t matter how much I eat I alway feel lethargic after a Thanksgiving meal. Comfort food will always put you in a comatose that’s hard to shake. The best way to snap out of the food coma is by forcing yourself to go for a walk. It’s not appealing but you feel much better afterwards.
During the holidays we tend to go into rest, recuperate and recover mode. Our bodies breakdown because they can finally stop and unfortunately some of us feel a little sick. But, the idea of going back to work is tough, it’s almost like getting back into physical shape; however, the energy is gone. So, how do you get it back?
- Revisit the Vision: Look at your ministry’s vision and set goals for the short term and long term. Examine whether or not your current plan is in check and make sure everything coming up is moving you forward. (Find your ministry identity)
- Check-In With Peers: Meeting up with a fellow youth minister or one of your volunteers will evoke the feeling of camaraderie that we all need to get back in the swing of things. It doesn’t have to have an agenda, just a chance to reconnect and pump one another up.
- Plan Out That First Week: It sounds like work; however, it’s making sure you aren’t wasting valuable energy. Write out your schedule, construct a to-do list and list out your priorities. When you are out of work shape it’s easy to stumble on avoidable mistakes. Setting out a plan helps you prep for the unexpected. (Build Margin In Four Steps)
It’s never easy coming off a break because we can feel anxious and tired. On top of developing a plan we need to focus on what we love. Focus on the teens you serve, the people that support you and the feeling you had when you embraced God’s call to ministry. If that doesn’t work, just go in with “Eye of the Tiger” blasting on your car stereo.
How do you get back into work shape?