Orange is amazing as always! There are about 4,000 of us from all over the world. The focus of my workshops yesterday was how do I make sure I take care of myself while I am serving others. I recommend checking out Jim Wideman’s website (www.jimwideman.com). The focus of his workshop yesterday was how to we learn to be organized in a way that helps up implement the priorities in our lives.
Jim had the following words of wisdom for us:
- You need to have a vision – where do you want to end up?
- Live by priorities – Get alone with God and ask him to show you His priorities for your life. My relationship with Jesus, my family, my ministry, etc.
- Have a desire to change – change is a part of life
- Have the right tools – Your calendar, watch, cellphone and computer/internet can all be tools to help you master your life.
- Develop routines – work on life and develop routines to help you do things more effectively. Have day each week to focus on specific events/activities. Consider your time valuable.
Four elements in Time Management
- Planning – write down how you WANT to spend your time.
- Preparation – Set priorities, assign due dates, think of every activity in steps – don’t just put the due date on your calendar for big events. Break it into smaller deadlines and put those dates on your calendar as mini-due dates.
- Evaluation – Write down what you do every day and analyze it based on your priorities. If Jesus is your #1 priority, does your time reflect it? If not, go back and make changes to your schedule
- Delegate – What can others do for you? “The bigger your ministry the more time you spend in leadership development.” Ed Young
Have someone to hold you accountable! Jim’s Top Ten things:
- Account for your time
- Plan time offensively – don’t book yourself too tight
- Keep the steps (priorities) in order
- Delegate to the faithful
- Plan for interruptions
- Respond rather than react to a crisis
- Don’t procrastinate
- Get some help – Use your network to learn how others are doing things effectively. Don’t be afraid to use others ideas if they work. Iron sharpens iron.
- Have a plan for growth – people follow people with a plan
- PRAY! — How can I be the leader that God wants me to be?
