Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
Colossians 4:5–6 (ESV)

Lists, appointments, Sermon prep, youth group devotions, children’s sermons, chapel talks, shut-in visits, fundraisers for the LCMS Youth Gathering, completing agendas for meetings/retreats/events, lesson plans, volunteer training, and the list goes on and on. As church workers, we are Called to serve a church or school and their members. How are we supposed to manage all the responsibilities AND have a family AND have a social life?

I have always loved the season of fall because it is all about new beginnings and being more organized than last year. Time management is a big consideration for getting it all done and maintaining your mental health.

Although we have probably heard all of these at the last conference or in school, we can always benefit from a reminder:

• Keep an on-going list or a planner/appointment book. Writing responsibilities down can help keep you on track!
• Prioritize the tasks you need to complete. Do the easy stuff first and schedule time to work on the bigger projects every day. Breaking down a big project into manageable tasks can keep you motivated.
• Limit your distractions! Put your phone on ‘Do Not Disturb’ so you are not tempted to answer that text which distracts you and diverts your focus.
• Take some time to record the amount of time you spend on socials. You will be amazed at the time you spend scrolling that could be utilized for something else.
• Do not expect perfection! Church work has so many unexpected responsibilities so we need to be flexible.
• Schedule buffer times so that when you have those unexpected tasks/people pop up you are able to still complete some of your To-Do list.
• Schedule time for being in the Word and prayer. This should be for personal study NOT sermon, lesson prep.
• Schedule time for Sabbath rest. You will be refreshed and ready to take on your list of tasks when you have taken care of your mental, physical and spiritual needs.

Church work can be overwhelming, but it can also be uplifting as we have the opportunity to care for God’s people. Make a commitment to manage your time rather than allowing your tasks and to-do lists managing you.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 (ESV)