From episode 276 of Cal Newport's podcast, Deep Questions. He talks about five things needed to "close the loops" (to use David Allen's term) in your mind and have a clear head. Calendar. Digital. Sync it with phone to have it with you at all times. Appointments and meetings go on there with relevant information.…
Inverse Law of Accomplishment
From episode 276 of Cal Newport's podcast, Deep Questions. The higher the impressiveness of an accomplishment, the fewer things you can do.
The Seasonality of Life
One observation that has struck me lately is how life comes in seasons. Probably the most famous passage in the book of Ecclesiastes speaks to the "times" or "seasons" of human life (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). Another book which emphasizes seasons is Song of Solomon. The book recounts a love story between a man and woman who…
Productivity Glossary
Here is a glossary of typical productivity terms. The point is to be able to get clear on things in order to record, track, and execute work more effectively. "Task" - A task is a small action. It is usually something that can be accomplished relatively quickly. For example, a task would be sending an…
How I try to be productive (my productivity system)
My productivity system contains three components: capture, configure, and control. I want to make sure I fully capture all the tasks on my plate as well as the things that arise throughout the day (per David Allen’s Getting Things Done system). After capturing tasks, I want to configure all the tasks: process them to make…
The Relationship between Projects and Systems
Ministries are a collection of systems and also contain a host of projects to be done. How do they relate? Before looking at how projects and systems relate, it's important to review what they are and the differences between them. Projects in ministry are time bound. Projects have deadlines. Because projects have deadline, this means…
Defining Projects
Tasks are not projects, which are not initiatives. Having distinctions like this in work can be really helpful in planning your week and making progress on things. Of course, I realize that the way I classify things may be artificial and unique to me, but it has helped me bring clarity to my work. So…
The Family Firm by Emily Oster
Should you get your kid a phone? A seemingly simple question like that can be quite hard to answer. What kind of phone? A smartphone? A "dumbphone"? What will you say when your kid begins pestering you because all their friends have one? Emily Oster, in her book, The Family Firm: A Data-Driven Guide to…
Time Management for Mortals
Even though Oliver Burkeman is not a Christian, he has written a deeply Christian book. His book, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, book could be summarized as saying, "You're not God!!" or as Moses wrote thousands of years ago, "Teach us to number our days, That we may present to You [God] a heart…
Leaders Plan
"Plans are useless, but planning is indispensable"Dwight. D. Eisnehower "Winging it" is not an acceptable ministry strategy. Show me a leader who doesn't spend time planning and I'll show you an ineffective leader. Planning is one of the most effective uses of a time for leaders because it sharpens their focus on what is really…
Raising Lazarus 