Can’t Go To Philly Without Getting A Philly Cheese Steak
It’s almost like this week’s theme for me has been Confirmation Retreatonanza! 3 Retreats, 3 different states (PA,OH and MD)in 1 week (sorry to those...
I’m a moron. For some reason I allowed an already full plate to get out of control. This week I scheduled a book deadline, Confirmation Mass, leadership retreat, last week of our student program, and an endless list of meetings. I’m managing, but it’s exhausting.
Courtesy of Jessie Pearl/Creative Commons License
You will have busy seasons and sometimes it’s all out of your control. Then there are times you could have prevented it. Either way the past is the past and it is no longer relevant. You need to empty your overcrowded plate NOW. To get things off your plate so that you don’t crash and burn you need to:
FIRST ADMIT YOU ARE OVERWHELMED
Saying you are, “OKAY” when you are NOT does you more harm than good. It can be a little embarrassing to admit that you let things go, but in the long run it will benefit you. People will reach out and it allows you to pause to set things in order.
IDENTIFY WHAT CAN BE PASSED OFF
If people offer to help, let them know how. Identify the tasks that you do not have to do. That might mean sacrificing your own standards, but that’s okay. Not only will you give yourself some margin, but increase your capacity in the future. (For more on delegating, click here)
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE NEGOTIABLE
Some commitments come with flexibility. Rescheduling a meeting, or holding off on an email are a few of the things that can be reworked. Granted it causes other people inconvenience, but if you are honest, open and upfront they’ll be able to forgive you.
PUT GOD IN THE MIX
You might feel like you do not have time to pray; however, if there ever is a time, it’s when your plate is at maximum capacity. You need him to get through the messiness. He might be the only reason you get what needs to get done. Start out your day and sit with him at lunch. At first it might seem like a pain, but in the end you’ll be so glad you included him.
Youth ministry is going to get messy. No matter how you got in that situation, you need to know you can get out. Count the costs, list out what needs to be done and start picking away. Eventually you’ll see you load lighten.
What is one thing that you wish you get off your plate right now?
A great resource for helping you manage your time effectively can be found on my friend’s website SmarterYM. Go ahead and check it out here.