Category Archives: productivity

The Hidden Values of Preparation

By caryschmidt | April 14, 2010

Have you ever conducted an event that was ill-prepared? Have you ever been disorganized or caught off guard in some ministry environment? There’s nothing worse than being thrown off balance by a lack of preparation.
I could fill the pages of a book with tough lessons learned through a lack of preparation. Even after years of [...]

Also posted in leadership | Tagged leadership, local church, ministry, organization, productivity, teaching | 1 Comment

7 Ideas for Your Personal Planner System

By caryschmidt | December 21, 2009

This fourth and final post on an annual planner is just for ideas. Please contexualize this series properly—I’m certainly not the expert on this stuff. Like you, I just enjoy comparing notes with others and gleaning helpful ideas. Thank you for the positive feedback. If you’re coming in late to the series, previous articles are [...]

Posted in productivity | Tagged leadership, media & tech, ministry, organization, productivity, technology, time management | 7 Comments

Implementing Your New Year Plan

By caryschmidt | December 19, 2009

The “final article” on the new year planner has become two. First—let’s discuss putting it into practice. In the next article—thoughts on developing an organizational system that works. (Click to read the first and second articles in this series.)
So you’ve spent several hours or days mapping out vision, goals, projects, events, calendar, details, and tasks—now [...]

Posted in productivity | Tagged church staff, leadership, media & tech, ministry, organization, productivity, technology, time management | 4 Comments

More on Developing a New Year Planner

By caryschmidt | December 17, 2009

Thank you for responding to the article on the contents of a new year planner! Many of you have emailed and asked for the sample planner mentioned at the end of the article. In finalizing my planner the past couple days, I’ve decided to do two more articles related to planning the new year. This [...]

Posted in productivity | Tagged church staff, ministry, organization, productivity, time management | 4 Comments

Contents of a New Year Planner

By caryschmidt | December 10, 2009

‘Tis the season for new year planning! In support of the recent Spiritual Leadership Podcast on annual planning, I thought it would be appropriate to dissect a ministry planner and give an inside glimpse of what’s included. Perhaps these thoughts will equip you in planning and preparing for a great new year of ministry. So, [...]

Posted in productivity | Tagged leadership, ministry, organization, productivity, time management | 4 Comments

10 Ways to Renew Your Spirit

By Cary Schmidt | October 8, 2009

Ever get depleted?
Ever reach the bottom of the barrel when it comes to spiritual energy or passion?
Don’t overreact! It doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doing all the wrong things with your life. You’re faith is probably still alive and well. There’s no need to go AWOL. Don’t start doubting every good decision or direction [...]

Also posted in christian life, featured | 3 Comments

How to Write Readable Emails

By Cary Schmidt | September 18, 2009

Have you ever received an email that, at first sight, completely sent your brain into a revolt? Funny. Regardless of the message or your affection for the sender, your brain just wants to immediately hit “delete”! Why?
Perhaps some basic things made the email appear to be a huge mental hurdle—long lines, huge paragraphs, and a [...]

Posted in productivity | Tagged church staff, communication, organization, productivity, technology, time management | 8 Comments

Why Leaders Need More Communication

By Cary Schmidt | September 14, 2009

WARNING: Failure to communicate frequently and effectively will bring distrust, tension, and grief in any valuable relationship.
A large percentage of our problems in work, family, and ministry could be attributed to communication failures—either miscommunication or a lack of communication. Everybody has people in their lives with whom they should work at communicating more effectively and [...]

Also posted in featured, leadership | Tagged church staff, communication, leadership, local church, ministry, team | Leave a comment

Helpful Tools for Personal Productivity

By caryschmidt | June 16, 2009

This post is certainly not original. In fact, many of you will find it “old news,” but it comes with the spirit of “redeeming the time” and passing along good ideas—all of which are in no way original—practical tools for friends and co-laborers. So, here are a few things things that have made a difference [...]

Posted in productivity | Tagged communication, ministry, productivity, technology, time management | 3 Comments

Three More Huge Principles for Personal Productivity

By caryschmidt | April 22, 2009

Do you like to live “to the hilt”? Do you like to pillow your head at night exhausted, spent, but fulfilled? Do you find great enjoyment in doing the best you can with the resources and opportunities God has given you? I sure do. In a recent post we looked at three HUGE principles of [...]

Posted in productivity | Tagged biblical living, organization, productivity, time management | 8 Comments

Three Huge Principles for Personal Productivity

By caryschmidt | April 5, 2009

A few weeks ago a pastor asked me if he could look through my leather binder. I happily sat down and showed him page by page through this veritable extension of my arm—for it pretty much goes wherever I go all the time. Thinking back, I get asked about organization, personal productivity, and balance quite [...]

Posted in productivity | Tagged organization, productivity, technology, time management | 11 Comments

Making Good Intentions Happen

By Cary Schmidt | December 15, 2008

Four Reasons We Fail to Accomplish Our Best Intentions

As you are staring at a New Year, you’ve probably started setting some goals, making some decisions, and laying out plans. We all have a TON of good intentions. But, if you really think about it, good intentions never accomplished a thing! When it comes to living [...]

Also posted in christian life | Tagged biblical living, ministry, productivity, time management | 1 Comment

The Best Time Management Books in the World!

By Cary Schmidt | December 7, 2008

Are you passionate about living a balanced life—about being a good steward of your life and time? Do you desire to get more done more effectively and yet still have family time, rest, and restoration? I sure do. I’ve tried to be a student of time and life management—to redeem the time that God gives [...]

Also posted in books and resources | Tagged biblical living, family, productivity, time management | 2 Comments