Fast start practices for the New Year

Youth Ministers are busy!

Getting control of your time where you can be most effective is a battle. Here are some fast start practices for the New Year or anytime, that will help keep you focused and aware.

Six week vision on repeat.

Begin with the end in mind by looking at your calendar six weeks from today (February 17). Make notes on any significant events that fall in the six week period. Develop a sharp awareness of anything that is coming up on your calendar for the next six weeks. Make notes and plans.

Repeat every week.

Schedule focus periods.

Focus periods can be measured in minutes or hours, depending on what you have ahead of you on your calendar. Review your six week calendar and determine where you need to focus your work, then determine how much time you will need to focus and schedule it as an appointment.

Trimester mindset-Spring, Summer, Fall.

Each season in Youth Ministry has a unique rhythm. You can effectively plan by asking “when is the best time to ….” The timing influences teaching themes, events and outreach. Each community will also have its unique rhythms. Be attentive, evaluate each trimester and make notes for future planning.

Anticipate obstacles.

You cannot anticipate most obstacles but there are usually some hints upon further observations. Know your calendar well and make sure it is synced with school, family, church wide emphasis. Obstacles squeeze your time and your ability to anticipate those moments will help you stay on track.

The Secret to Accomplishing Goals

In my experience, focus has been more important than goals. This may not be a universal concept but it has worked for me. That’s the point. Discover what works for you.

To do nothing is within everyone’s power –Samuel Jackson, 18th Century.

Here is a simple guide to accomplishing goals this next year.

1. Focus on the next 12 months. Get an annual calendar. A wall calendar is perfect for this where you can see key dates that will affect your rhythm.

   Create a mental picture of the next year, Focus on key events for your ministry, your family, and your personal growth.

   Transcribe this to a journal or digital written form. Keep it where you can reflect on it every week for the next year.

2. Script your desires. One of the early influences on my life (the 18 year old version of myself) was Psalm 37.4.. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.

   What are the desires of your heart? Speak them to yourself and to God. Make them known! Write it down and keep it in a place where you can pray and seek direction throughout the year.

3. Set your lead measures. This was new to me until I read the 4 Disciplines of Execution (affiliate link). Lead measures are the actions you control that determine the lag measures.

   In ministry, lag measures tend to be butts in seats, budgets, and buildings.

   Our goals are often lag measures. Start to think in terms of lead measures and the lag measures will take care of themselves. Often beyond anything you would have imagined.

Focus on action. Know specifically what actions you will take to move the needle of your vision.

Finishing well

Finishing well is knowing what to do and when to do it.

It’s not time to procrastinate or get frustrated, it’s time to take intentional action.

In sports, the best finishes often follow a time out. A time out is not a retreat, it is a pause in action to focus on the next step.

In your schedule, understanding the significance of the SMALL moments will help you with the BIG moments. Take a timeout.

In a game you get several timeouts but there is a limit. Use them wisely, but use them all.

Finish well and finish strong.

One word. One vision.

What is one word that defines your ministry over the last year? What is one word that you would like to define your ministry next year?

Defining words are not casual. They help us with vision and purpose. The words you chose become a target and measurement throughout the year.

Use the one word process to define your goals for:

• Your spiritual development.

• Your family.

• Your profession.

• Your character.

• Your influence

Keep going with your own ideas.

Make a note. Check regularly and evaluate your progress.

Next year is going to be a great year.

4 Steps to starting fresh

Start now and you’ll be ahead of all those who are waiting for New Year’s Day. Here is a process that will help you year to year be organized and focus where you can keep your attention on other matters. Try it, you’ll love the freedom.

1. Organize for effectiveness. The primary focus of my organization is files, both paper and digital. I will update everything for the new year. This is my most time consuming project in starting fresh each year. It’s also the area that will usually show up first if I didn’t get it done well.

   I organize my files, book shelves, and desk. I try to purge things that are not necessary and clear space for things that are relevant.

2. Evaluate your workspace. This is an area that Student Ministers may underestimate the importance of. Oftentimes your office is not a good space or you treat it like a storage space before and after events. Try to rethink your space and make it welcoming to guests and inspiring to the work that you intend to do.

3. Create your rhythm calendar. Have a 12 month calendar in front of you. Look at significant dates during your year. If you use the same calendar year to year (recomended) then you can start by transferring important recurring dates.

   Note: you may be digital only but consider a paper calendar for long range planning and digital for appointments.

   After noting your important dates, start planning with events.

4. Envision your new year. What do you hope the next year will look like? What is your vision? A simple framework for visioning includes faith, family, finances, and fitness.

   Create a journal or written form of your vision. Review it often.

There is much more that could be said under each of these steps. This is just a start. Once you get started you will discover your own best practices.

Reset your rhythm for high performance

I recently learned that many high performing entrepreneurs have a daily one hour practice. For one hour each day they sit down to focus and get deep work done. It sets the stage for their day, week, and visionary goals.

While you may not be ready to take this up as a regular practice, taking time in rhythm will get you results.

This week, get started on a good lifetime practice.

Retreat for one hour. Be intentional about the space you choose to work from. Having a “go to” space will be helpful for future escapes for productive work. Music and candles are helpful for me. Find those things that work best for you and use the space and time often.

Be prepared to pray, focus and calendar. My goal during this week each year is to focus on all activities for the next two months. One of my ongoing mantras is “how can this be 1% better.” Slow down, pray, and open your calendar and visualize each day on your calendar until the end of January. Reflect on this time last year and make note of the things that caused you the greatest stress.

Have a white board or notepad available. Are there stress points from the previous year that can be addressed with better planning or preparation? Create a plan of action to address those stress points. Now take each event on your calendar for the next two months and create a list of things you can do to be ready ahead of schedule. Use a midpoint time hack by setting a reminder in four weeks to review your progress and get further ahead or get back on track.

Simple rhythms create big results. Pay attention and flourish.

Adjust your rhythm for family’s sake

I am obsessed with rhythm. I have found that the better that I understand my rhythm, the more effective I can be in the key areas of my life. Those areas of focus for me have remained the same for a long time now–faith, family, fitness and finances.

In all of our rhythms we are naturally drawn to focus on these areas more intently toward the end or at the start of a New Year.

Focusing on family during an extended holiday time seems to make sense when we consider the natural rhythms of our life. In considering family I want to evaluate and make adjustments. Here is where I start.

Adjust your pace. Slow down rather than speed up. Avoid the pull to make yourself unusually busy during this season. Start each day with meditation and intentionally slow down where you can think clearly about your family. What has stood out to you this last year? What will the family likely look like this time next year?

Adjust your perspective. Step outside of a ministry mindset and take a look at your own family. Where do you need to spend time? Address some neglected areas in extended family. There are eleven months where you are deepening relationships with others. Take this time to make sure you are doing the same in your family.

Adjust your plans. Yes, make some plans. Dream a bit. Talk to your spouse or significant others in your family. Set aside some time now for intimate family time throughout the year. Get some things on the calendar and make this your best year yet for your family!

Finding Rhythm in November

In trying to grasp the science of timing, I’ve learned to ask the question, when is the best time to ….

The influence for this question came from the book, When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing (affiliate link) where Daniel Pink shows that timing is really a science not an art.

As I have learned more about the importance of timing, I have gained a better understanding of life rhythms. Learning and leveraging rhythms will lead to consistent effectiveness.

When I consider an annual rhythm, I have determined that November is the most important month of the year for high performance. So every November I listen to Pink’s book on timing and I start my New Year at Advent not January 1.

Here is the simple plan I follow.

Purge and organize.

I want to work in a clean office. Clutter is a distraction. This is where I start on my annual organizational purge. The goal is to create a productive space to do high quality work. I update files, purge desk drawers and shelves and get clutter off the floor.

Reflect and plan.

Spend time reflecting on the last year. What is something that you are most proud of? In your work? In your family?

What is something that didn’t go well? What happened? How would you do it differently?

Get a paper calendar and map out your next 13 months. You can use a digital calendar, but don’t use it exclusively. Write down all of the important dates and fill in others dates by asking, when is the best time to…..

Recreate and create.

Enjoy the change of pace that the holidays bring. If you have done good work in organizing and planning, you are already ahead of most. In the remaining weeks of the year, few are productive. Be intentional about organizing and planning, making your recreation and creation stress free.

Congratulations! You are now prepared to move into the secular year ahead of schedule.