Quittin' Time (part 2 of 2)
Finding More Work/Life Balance in Ministry
A pastor’s work is never done.
Steve Bierly said, “You are called to be nurse, doctor, parent, friend, confidant, counselor, and trouble-shooter to a group of people. It’s impossible for you to predict what your week is going to be like.” (128) Add to this sermon preparation, family commitments, and the thousand other things that go along with ministry. One can readily see why pastors are exhausted!
Since pastors don’t punch a time clock, we’re considering 3 Steps to Find Some Work/Life Balance. Last time, we shared the first one in this post.
Now, steps two and three…
Have a Routine to Finish Your Workday
The Workday Shutdown ritual or routine works much the same way as the Workday Startup Ritual, except this time, the focus is on finishing well - but actually finishing! According to Kornick, “A workday shutdown routine helps you close out your workday in a structured way so you can start fresh the next morning and can be present with your family and friends once the workday is over.” (93)
Examples of a shutdown routine might include looking over tomorrow’s schedule, returning emails or texts, tidying up your desk, reshelving commentaries, and shutting down your computer. Once again, do these tasks in order. Going through this routine should help your brain to recognize that it is about to switch to “time off” mode.
This works well when you punch a clock or have set hours, but what about ministry workers? It’s easy to practice these two strategies during our “normal” study/office days, but what about all our evening commitments?
I would suggest limiting how many evenings you work on a regular basis. Most pastors will be out Wednesday evenings and probably at least another for meetings or visits. But when you begin to be out three or four nights in ministry consistently, you are setting yourself up for burnout.
Now, when things don’t go according to plan, I’d like to suggest a third step…
Roll with the Punches When Ministry Interrupts Your Time Off
You will inevitably have to work at times during your time off. Emergencies, tragedies, and deaths don’t consult your calendar before they occur. On a lesser note, you will run into a church member at a restaurant when you’re on a date with your wife, and they will share a burden or prayer request with you. I ran into a family from our church 4 hours away from where we lived when I was on an Anniversary date with my wife!
While we cannot control these things, we can control how we respond to and think about them.
First, accept that this goes along with the job. You are a shepherd. God has entrusted these sheep to your care. God is in charge of your life and your schedule. If He brings a hurting sheep across your path, minister to them. It doesn’t have to necessarily take the rest of your evening, but give what time is needed, and then return to your time off. If it takes a full day of your “off” time, choose another day as a make-up “off” day. As a pastor, you have flexibility in your schedule, so use it!
Practicing these 3 Steps will go a long way in helping you to establish some Work/Life Balance.
! BONUS: How To Have Less Interruptions to Your Time Off
I want to offer a few more suggestions in dealing with ministry obligations that come when you’re trying to rest.
First, enlist help to carry out the pastoral role. Train your Deacons, utilize other staff members (if you have them) to be on-call, and communicate this to your congregation.
Second, evaluate if the interruption is a true emergency or if it is something that can wait.
Finally, note any ministry needs you took care of in your calendar or task list. I learned this years ago from Steve Bierly’s book, How To Thrive As A Small-Church Pastor. He writes, “When interruptions occur, I immediately write them down on the list and check them off. …Thus, when I come to the end of a day or week and wonder, ‘What did I really do?’ I can consult my list and remember.” (130-131) This serves to encourage you when you feel like you didn’t get all those to-do’s done. You were busy ministering, not goofing off!
!! DOUBLE BONUS: Develop a Morning & Eventing Routine
Having a way to begin and end your day will help you ensure that the most important things get done every day, even when interruptions occur.
You will never have a perfect work/life balance, but you can have a better work/life balance. Begin today to implement these suggestions and enjoy that time off!
Need more help streamlining your schedule and getting your life back? I’d love to talk with you about how I could coach you. Find out more at productivitycoaching.life
Anna Dearmon Kornick, Time Management Essentials (New York: McGraw Hill, 2023).
Steve R. Bierly, How To Thrive As A Small-Church Pastor (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998).
Michael Hyatt, Free To Focus (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2019).