I met with a good friend of mine the other day. His name is Joseph Thompson, the pastor of another local church here in Lake Mary called, The Well. Joseph has been a great source of encouragement and inspiration in my journey as a newer lead pastor.
We got talking about all the things that pastors talk about when they get together – the current state of our congregations, our budgets, programs, and personal lives. Quickly the conversation turned to the many, many details that ministry professionals face on a day to day basis. I think this is a trap that all Americans fall into. WE ARE JUST SO STINKIN’ BUSY! There’s no way around it, really. It’s something I think we all have to manage and do our best at.
Joseph was asking how I was doing managing the day to day affairs of the church and I told him that “I was getting through my list of tasks slowly but surely.” Then he said something that really stuck with me. He said, “I try to keep a TO DON’T list instead of a TO DO list.” His point was how critical it is for so many of us to find out what is really important for us to do each day and focus on that, instead of listing a bunch of things that we may or may not have time to really do. If we don’t need to do it – drop it and focus on the most important stuff that there is to do.
Here’s my TO DON’T list for today:
Well, that’s a start…
This is great, Phil. I always feel like I need to check one more thing off my TO DO list… however, the TO DON’T list is such a great concept! Because I say I’m going TO DO all these things when I get home from work, for instance, and I don’t get any of them done. I get stuck in front of the TV for a little too long, or wrapped up in a conversation on the phone with a friend, or take too long of a nap. Thanks for this blog… it’s inspired me to think a little bit differently then I have been to get the things done that really need to be done.
And, by the way, where’d you get that picture of my home office?! Hee hee heee!