8 Productivity Secrets of the Most Effective Pastors
Are your tasks as a pastor becoming more of a burden than a blessing? It is so easy for today’s church leaders to fall into the habits of wanting to do more, produce more, and be more. Often, you end up burned out, tired, and unable to give the best of yourself to your congregation. This can make you feel like you’re not being an effective pastor.
Let’s look at some productivity secrets used by some of today’s most successful church leaders out there today. What do they do differently? How do keep church members and donors engaged? How do they always have inspiration energy for their sermons?
This list is a good starting place for your own productivity goals.
1. Effective Pastors Have a Clear Vision
The Bible tells us clearly: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”—Proverbs 29:18
You must be clear on your daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals. Understand where you are going, and the steps necessary to get there. Start each day with a mental picture of the top two tasks that need to get done and stick to them.
2. Have More Effective Meetings
Do you blindly accept any invite to a meeting, or say yes every time someone calls on you to discuss a problem? Discuss with your church leadership team which topics to discuss during a meeting and then stick to those. A digital tool like Calend.ly is perfect for organizing meetings. It allows your team to submit specific meeting requests through a link. This way you have a visual on what needs discussion.
3. Delegate More
As your church and donors grow, your tasks grow with them. But this doesn’t mean you need to do everything, all the time. Hire folks for your team who are good at performing office and organizational tasks. Don’t fear what others think and worry that you will be seen as “lazy” if you are not handling everything by yourself. Shift your mindset to getting more done in less time and see the spaces you free up to focus on those tasks.
4. Virtual and Personal Assistants
These are vital members of your staff, and an AI app can also take some load. If you have church budget for management, this is where you must invest. Rather than relying on old ways of communication, have your assistants trained to set up email flows, track processes, and pass on to you only the most necessary tasks such as decision-making or signatures.
5. Effective Pastors Think “Monotask”—Not “Multitask”
Research has shown us the downside of multitasking. This is something we are all guilty of! How many days have you tried to juggle more than you are physically capable of, only to find yourself more distracted and less productive? Go easy on your brain and don’t force it to perform over one task at a time. With more attention and energy, you’ll be amazed at the wonders monotasking does for your creativity!
6. Find Productivity Apps that Work for You
If you are still on the fence about using digital platforms and productivity apps, try a couple and see if they don’t change your perspective. For example, the app Slack eliminates back-and-forth emails, makes collaboration easy, and gives you a better idea on work that is getting done or goals accomplished. A tithing app will make asking for donations and support for the church so much easier.
7. Don’t Overburden Yourself
Learn what it means to “Rest in the Lord”. Invest time in your family or children, if you have any. They will help give you a fresh outlook on work once you get back to your desk and pulpit. This could be as simple as taking nature walks with your family, enjoying a sunset together, or chatting about topics unrelated to church activities. Make rest intervals a part of your daily schedule.
8. Listen to Energizing Sounds
What music makes you feel inspired? For some it may be Praise and Worship songs; for others, classical music or nature sounds. It’s easy to go to YouTube or Spotify and find an array of music to uplift you when you need a mental boost. Remember how King David in the Bible played to the Lord on his harp and it had a calming effect on the king? Next time you want to feel both calmed and motivated, why not try the old-fashioned power of music!
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It might just surprise you how much more you will get done each day when you take the time to incorporate one or more of these productivity tips into your daily routine. Below are some Bible verses on both productivity and rest.
Genesis 2:2
‘By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.’
1 Corinthians 2:5
‘So that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.’
Matthew 11:28
‘Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.’
Want more productivity suggestions that can help you become a more effective pastor or church leader? Follow our Donorwerx Blog and resources for relevant and timely tips.
