How To Knock Off The Rust

Courtesy of kevingessner/Creative Commons/License

A few days before Christmas I was hit with the flu.  It wasn’t anything too serious; however, it had me tied to a couch with prayers of not dying.  Fortunately, it passed through quick.  Unfortunately, it sidelined me from any physical activity.  This was huge because the following week I would be winter hiking in the Adirondack Mountains.  While I was able to enjoy my time in the wilderness, that flu made me a little weaker and more vulnerable to the elements.  In other words I was wicked sore after the first day of hiking.

Whether the week between Christmas and New Years was a vacation or a quite work week, chances are you’ve built up some rust.  A week (Or even a day) of inaction will throw you off your game.  When this happens you lose momentum.  Most of you are facing this right now after the holidays and now it’s time to face 2013.  If you are feeling a little rusty and are wondering how to get the momentum back be sure to:

• Retain Focus: Before you jump into your office, checking emails and tearing through the paperwork.  Take time to write out goals and revisit your vision.  It might sound like a time waster, considering you were back from a break, but it will ensure you set out on the right foot. Know the direction of your ministry before you start moving.

• Lay It Out: Once you’ve established worked on your vision create action steps to accomplish your goals.  Make them tangible, so that you can cross them off the list as you move forward.  If possible assign them to volunteers, create a timetable and even create a calendar.  By creating a system to your transition from break you not only know what needs to be done; but, how you plan on getting there.

• Pace Yourself: It’s one thing to have a list, it’s another to prioritize it.  Again, you don’t want to be steamrolling into all the work, responsibilities and tasks that lie in front of you.  Start with small projects and build on your success.  If you start with something too complex you’ll only find yourself frustrated.  Small steps lead to big gain.

• Embrace Persistence:  As you start knocking things off your list ignore the temptation to break.  Just continue your persistence and continue to create goals.  You’ll find the momentum not only building behind you but leak to those around you as well.

Momentum takes time and patience.  While it can come from a single moment, most times it needs to come from a nurturing plan.  That means creating mile markers, and pacing yourself.  If you hit a snag, do not worry and remember to keep on moving.

How do you build momentum after a break?