How To Create More Margin In Your Schedule

A thought that comes across our mind constantly is, “If I had more time I could…”  It’s a frustrating thought because you aren’t sure how to find that time because you are so consumed with everything else.

Courtesy of bettyx1138/Creative Commons License

But, what if it was possible to add more time to your schedule?  What if you could increase your capacity so that you could do more and reach more teenagers?  It’s possible and quite simple.  It starts by:

IGNORING THE URGENT

When you get caught up in the urgent instead of the important it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and defeated.  The urgent are tasks that you do that feel important but have little impact on the big picture.

One of the biggest traps is our email inbox.  It’s not that you should ignore email, but set aside dedicated time where you will answer it.  Spend the rest of the time focusing on big picture items.

KEEPING ACCOUNT OF WHAT YOU HAVE

How many hours a week are you working?  How many hours should you be working?  Are you using them efficiently?  Do you make time for sleep, to eat, pray or even breathe?

You can’t wing your work week, nor should you.  Having a schedule allows you to keep count of hours spent on certain projects.  This will allow you to discern what needs to be delegated, eliminated and protected.  When you start counting your hours you can start using them better.

MAKING YOUR HEALTH A PRIORITY

If it’s pedal to the metal every single week you are going to burn yourself out.  Make sure you are dedicating time to:

• Sleep
• Exercise
• Pray
• Eat right
• Relax and do something fun

The more you can care for yourself the more you will be able to handle.  A tired leader is an ineffective leader.

LEARNING WHEN TO SAY, “YES” AND HOW TO SAY “NO”

The reason we lose margin is because we forget what to say yes to and how to say no.  If you are a people pleaser (like me) it’s really hard to say no.  To understand when to use those words you need to make sure you:

• Understand your vision and purpose.
• Know your strengths and weaknesses.
• Remember you can’t please everyone.

Surround yourself with people who will remind you what’s important.  Spend time in prayer asking God to guide you with decisions.  Don’t feel like you have to make them right away and don’t be afraid to be honest.  People will respect someone who understands their boundaries.

If you need more margin in your schedule you need to work on it.  If you need assistance find someone to coach you and take advantage of my resource TIME SAVERS (Free when you subscribe).  The more margin you build into your schedule the better prepared you will be to take on the ministry journey.