What is it about the items on your to-do list that make them so impossible to actually do?
Working in ministry comes with a unique set of challenges when it comes to efficiency… and your never-ending list of responsibilities is just one of them.
All of the unexpected demands on your time can make administrative tasks pretty difficult, and that’s before all those last-minute meetings that inevitably swallow your calendar whole.
Everywhere you turn, there seems to be more to do and less time to do it, right?
It’s exhausting. And it’s especially exhausting if you try to do it all on your own. In fact, it’s nearly impossible.
Because at the end of the day, your time is too valuable to spend on anything other than what you do best—leading.
That’s why strong leadership requires intentional delegation. Trusting the right people with the right tasks is often the first step to growing an organization.
Good leaders know that in order to expand, you have to make some breathing room—room in your organization, your schedule, and your mind.
And the only way to do that is to give a few things up to delegation.
Here are 3 signs that it may be time for you to give something up and start delegating:
1. You’re Outside Your Comfort Zone – Like Way Outside
The thing about doing too many things as a leader is that we often end up doing the wrong things in the process.
Great leaders understand that it takes every type of person for a church to run smoothly and effectively. Every organization needs the leader – and the creative, the administrator, the tech support, the data wizard, and more.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of wearing all of these hats. Don’t.
Leaders tend to fill the gaps we notice even when it means attempting a service we aren’t particularly well-suited for. The problem here is that as a leader, you have a pretty important role already.
You can’t afford to take that hat off.
So when you find yourself constantly outside of your wheelhouse—whether it’s in areas of finances, administration, or social media—then you may benefit from delegating those tasks to a trustworthy professional.
2. The Work Never Ends
We all know there is nothing more satisfying than crossing an item off your to-do list, but that momentary glory fades quickly when you realize there are 10 more things to get done before you can call it a day.
Sometimes it feels like cutting off the monster’s head just to see three more sprout before your eyes.
As a leader, it can be easy to fall into the trap of believing there is just always more to do.
What starts as “I’ll just get this last thing done” can quickly devolve into “I promise I’ll be home for dinner next week.”
The truth is that leadership is hard work, but it shouldn’t be constant work. If you find yourself chipping away at that to-do list all day long just to remember those five more things you haven’t done on the drive home, there is a good chance you may need a little help.
3. The Minor Has Taken Over the Major
Your time is important, and no matter how much you wish it weren’t, it’s also limited. At the end of the day, something has to give when the to-do list gets too long.
Ask yourself: Am I sacrificing the big picture to get the little stuff done?
Your organization is counting on you to cast the vision, and – let’s be honest – that’s the part of the job that fuels you, right?
No one gets into ministry for the paperwork. It’s the big picture items—the mission, the team, the outcome—that change lives.
That’s what you love, so it may be time for a change if you find yourself constantly being pulled away from it.
So, What Do You DO About It?
If one or more of these points feels a little too familiar, then it’s time to start passing on a few of the items on your never-ending to-do list.
It’s time to delegate.
You probably have a few questions, though. Like, how do I get started? What tasks do I hand off? Who should I ask first?
Delegating always sounds amazing, but it can be difficult to start.
BELAY exists to serve you as a leader. They partner with pastors to facilitate church growth with their wide range of remote services.
If you find yourself wanting to take that next step but are unsure how, our friends at BELAY can help.
Who is BELAY?
Whether you need someone to handle finances, administrative tasks, or social media, BELAY has the right fit for you. One of BELAY’s nearly 2,000 U.S.-based Virtual Assistants, Accounting Professionals and Social Media Managers is ready to help you find the time you need to lead well:
- Virtual Assistant Services – Whether it’s managing email, staying on top of project updates, or keeping up with an overloaded schedule, there are so many tasks a BELAY Virtual Assistant can own for you.
- Accounting Services – Our Accounting Professionals provide right-sized bookkeeping, tax, payroll, AP/AR, CFO, and Controller services for a customizable outsourced finance team to meet your exact needs.
- Social Media Manager Services – A Social Media Manager can help manage all of your unique social media needs and build a strong online presence to get you back to what you love most.
A half dozen times in the last seven years, in the midst of leading rapidly growing organizations, I’ve turned to BELAY for virtual assistance and support — and they’ve delivered.
BELAY’s coaching on how much I can actually delegate to an Executive Assistant … has given me the time and freedom to focus on what I really need to pursue: writing, vision-casting, and aligning our team— not to mention a regular day or two off.
For all these reasons, I’ve come to trust BELAY to be the quality fractional staffing solution every busy leader needs.
24 Things You Can STOP Doing to Grow Your Church
If you’re still reading, there is a good chance that you know things need to change. One person can only manage so much before the burden starts to take its toll.
Our friends at BELAY know your time is important, and they’ve already compiled a list of things you can scratch off that to-do list today.
Download BELAY’s 24 Things to Stop Doing to Grow Your Church and see what a little delegation can do for you and your ministry.
Because at the end of the day, your time is too valuable to spend on anything other than what you do best—leading.
