How Church Teams Can Stay Organized Amidst Chaos

No matter what role you serve on your church staff, disorder and hectic days are bound to creep into even the most organized of people’s days. When working in ministry, there is always an endless list of things to do, people to meet, and needs to see to. There are many lists and tips out there on how to take advantage of every minute of your workday and how to be more efficient. Productivity is a wonderful thing, but to accomplish the most, effective employees start by being organized. So how do you create a sense of order when you feel overwhelmed?

Here are five tips for staying organized even during your busiest seasons.

1. Create a schedule. 

Plan your day, week, and month. Start by looking at deadlines and goals you have to meet, and plan from there. The more detailed you can plan your day, the better. If you have an assistant or someone who helps you schedules your agenda, make sure and communicate well and often. Creating a schedule will not only help you to be structured, but also will help you to maximize your time.

2. Take breaks. 

Have periodic pauses throughout your day when you can step away from your work and take a breath. It doesn’t matter what you do, take a moment to pray, socialize with coworkers, or surf the web and allow your brain to take a moment to regain its composure. Organization takes effort and can seem overwhelming at times. By scheduling in breaks, it allows you to rejuvenate from the craziness of life and come back into work more stress-free and ready to tackle your tasks.

3. Prioritize.

There will always be something, and it’s impossible to do it all at once. Decide what is the most important and do it first. Sometimes it’s easy to discern priority level, and sometimes it’s a bit more difficult. Pick a starting point and stick with it. Often you’ll find once you get rolling on one task, another will pop up. That’s okay. If it is more important, stick it at the top of your list. Once you start finishing tasks, you’ll feel motivated to complete more. Find little ways to reward yourself for completing tasks or reaching goals such as a ten-minute break or a cup of coffee. This will help you be more efficient with your time as well, and will help you to get more tasks crossed off your list.

4. Organize your workspace.

Clutter weighs you down. Encourage your entire church team to clean up your desk, office, or workspace and organize it so that it is functional and efficient. If you’re a naturally messy person, create a drawer or some other out-of-sight space that can be your “mess.”  Make sure to occasionally clean it up and sort out the junk, but it’s okay to allow yourself a little break. Creating folders and making your desktop organized can be just as important as your physical workspace. Find a system of organization that works for you. Create folders on your desktop or in your documents as well as in your email. Whether virtually or physically, make sure everything has a space and place to go.

5. Seek advice from others.

Those you work with may have great ideas of different systems of organization that have worked for them. Personally, I am a huge fan of lists. To-do lists are my favorite. There’s something so satisfying about crossing an item off; I feel accomplished. Asking others how they organize their email, schedule, or workspace can give you ideas of what might work for you. Find what works and implement it into your work life.

How do you stay organized in your busy workplace?

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