Some people may object that it takes too much work to automate. After all, you will need to educate yourself on automation services. You will have to enter all of your information and preferences before automation can begin. But for renegade pastors automation isn’t a luxury–it’s a necessity. The benefits of automation far outweigh the initial effort it takes to set up the system. When you automate:
You save every month. The hours you save will really add up, giving you more time for ministry and family.
You save aggravation. Writing checks, mailing bills, and engaging in other mindless routines can be a time-consuming annoyance. Automation eliminates that aggravation.
[bctt tweet=”For renegade pastors automation isn’t a luxury–it’s a necessity.” username=”nelsonsearcy”]You save the embarrassment of forgetting something. In the past, I (Richard) have forgotten to mail a utility payment, only to receive in the mail a bright red bill with the words DISCONNECTION NOTICE prominently displayed on the envelope. If I had automated that wouldn’t have happened.
What You Can Automate
Many routine activities can be automated. Here are just a few:
- Bill Pay: Utility bills, mortgage payments, credit card invoices, phone bills, cable bills, etc. Just about any bill that comes to you on a regular basis can be automated. Even if your bank or the respective company charges a small fee to automate, the amount of time and stress you save are worth it.
- Computer Backup: You can sign up for a service that automatically backs up your computer files online. All computers eventually die. If you haven’t properly backed up everything–a confusing, time-consuming process for most people–you will lose all your files. Automation can pay off big time in this area.
- Groceries: In many cities you can arrange to have your groceries delivered, saving you the time it takes to go to the store and shop. You can create a list of the items you purchase regularly, shop from that list online when you need something, and the groceries will be delivered right to your door.
- Planned Meals: In many families, meal planning is a major time-consumer. There are many services that will send you weekly meal plans and recipes (and sometimes even deliver the ingredients). All you have to do is cook and enjoy!
There is virtually no limit to what you can automate in your home, from programming your thermostat to locking or unlocking your door to monitoring home security. You can control all of this from apps on your phone. And as technology moves forward there will be even more things that can be automated. Keep abreast of new developments as they come out and you will find more ways to save time and avoid aggravation.
– Nelson Searcy and Richard Jarman
The above excerpt is from pgs. 64-65 of The Renegade Pastor’s Guide to Time Management.
Time is your most important God-given resource no matter how hard you work, you can’t make a day last longer than twenty-four hours. By mastering a set of proven time-management principles, you can regain control of your life. It is possible to manage your time so that you can stay on top of the never-ending demands of being a pastor, nurture your congregation, spend quality time with your family, and take care of your physical and emotional needs. Become the pastor God has called you to be.
P.S. – Click here to grab your copy from Amazon today!
Your partner in ministry,
Nelson
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