Ed. note: As we start into the New Year the wonder and joy of the holidays is gone and it seems like we have an overwhelming amount of work to do. Gayle's advice is extremely timely and useful as always. Her words greatly encouraged and inspired me—I trust they will help you also.
There was a time, not really so long ago, when common knowledge decreed it was somehow a good thing for the ministry assistant to be frazzled and stressed, that in some way, looking and acting crazed showed one’s commitment or dedication. Now most of us recognize that is not the case, and a part of our continuing education involves learning how to function effectively when the crunch is on.
Let’s say a major deadline is coming up fast. A series of small emergencies has interrupted your schedule for days. Everyone wants everything now. You can do this!
• Resist the urge to simply head toward the squeakiest wheel. Take a deep breath. Either rework your existing to-do list or make a new list of all the tasks awaiting your attention.
• Go through the list and shift to another day any tasks that can be delayed. Usually these are jobs someone tagged as urgent when they were assigned but, given the current office climate, they are no longer quite so important.
• Next, identify any jobs someone else can do for you. Take time to make assignments, get others going on the work, and check those off your list. Don’t be too quick to say that no tasks fall into this category. Almost always, if you are open to the possibility, you will find at least a few things to delegate.
• What is left on your list are tasks you must do personally and do now. Pick two of the smallest of these important jobs. They might be contacts you need to make to extend deadlines or calls for information on a project. Your object in choosing quick jobs is to establish momentum—to get things rolling and give you a sense of control.
• If you’ve done a thorough job with the steps above, there are only a few tasks left on the list, but they are major. At this point you may need to share with those involved that everybody may not have everything they want when they want it. Give Christian professionals the opportunity to show they understand and appreciate that one can do only what is humanly possible. If you need to create some uninterrupted work time, line up someone to field calls and visitors. If at all possible take yourself out of calling range; have your recruit handle things as if you were out of the country.
• Choose the most pressing task, bite the bullet, and start. Focus on this one job; don’t allow your attention to be diverted to urgencies that pop up. Avoid the firefighting mode; stay calm. Take your lunch hour as well as some occasional breaks. You work more effectively when you are not weary.
• Dealing pragmatically with pressure has enormous advantages. You don’t waste time wringing your hands or bemoaning your situation. You acknowledge what needs to be done, get a handle on your priorities, mentally prepare to tackle the job, set a realistic pace, and follow through. This is the way to get things done.
