Skip to main content

What To Do First to Make a Profit

The PF Women Team at our Annual Team Retreat  ~ 2018 Today on Seth Godin's blog, he said: It's tempting to decide to make a profit first, then invest in training, people, facilities, promotion, customer service and most of all, doing important work. In general, though, it goes the other way. Yes, it does. If you are waiting to make a profit before you do these things, in my experience you're  not going to make a profit. So many organizations, ministries and churches are struggling with financial issues. I know your pain. As anyone who follows our story knows, our ministry was in a ton of debt four years ago when I came on as director.  Since that time, we've gotten out of debt and turned a profit every year.  God has done amazing things through out team, for which we give Him the glory! I find that what Seth is saying here is absolutely true, with one disclaimer. For Christian leaders, spiritual disciplines must always be first. Before we started inve

5 Ways to Tame the E-mail Monster

I receive between 100-300 emails DAILY.  Between writing, working full time at the church as co-pastor, career coaching, and traveling/speaking not to mention family and friendships, this is probably not an abnormal amount. People who know my schedule often ask me about things having to do with time management.  Today I'm sharing 5 things I do to stay sane on the days my box is closer to 300 than 100 :

1)  Delete first thing every morning.

When I open my inbox each day I delete unnecessary mail and customarily for me this includes all forwards.  I just don't have time for them.  If I receive e-mails from lists I never signed up to be on and don't want to be on, I take a moment to unsubscribe, knowing it will save me time on other mornings to not have to keep deleting that piece of mail.  (I do not delete myself from all lists - if friends have put me on certain valuable things as a courtesy, I stay on them.)  Upon occasion I do get questioned by people who say things like, "Did you get the forward I sent you about the supernatural frog from Mexico that healed people as it hopped by?" and I say, "you know, being that I get a few hundred e-mails a day it's kind of hard for me to keep up with ones like that."  Usually people understand.

2)  Only touch each piece of mail once.


I leave it sitting in my box throughout the day (unopened) until I am ready to answer it.  If I don't have time to answer it right then I don't open it.  I touch mail once, whether it's by email or U.S. Mail.  I don't have time to keep going back to sort through what I have and haven't answered.  So, I open it, answer it, and am done with it.  The only exception to this is the rare e-mail that might be a difficult one requiring some prayer or thoughtful response beyond the norm.


3)  Put responses requiring more time on to-do list, and get them out of the inbox.

If a response takes more time and prayer, I try to answer the person right then saying that their e-mail is under consideration and I'll get back to them asap.  Then I put the response on my to-do list so I don't forget it.

4)  Don't carry e-mail over til' the next day.

I answer it all within 24 hours if possible.  If it piles up from day to day it just feels too overwhelming.

5)  Only answer things that truly need a response

If someone writes me a direct email, requesting a response, I always answer it.  If they just want me to read something to be aware of it, I don't necessary comment on it.  If they ask for a direct answer on something that's just an  FYI type thing I might write back and simply thank them in one sentence for keeping me in the loop.


Hope this helps those of you who have overflowing in-boxes! 

Comments

sandy said…
It's funny, I read this article instead of going through the pile of email!! lol. Okay now I'm armed and ready to tackle the email monster :)
Ha ha ha ha! Sandy, do you know how many times I've read blogs instead of e-mail first? It's because I enjoy reading blogs so much and often groan when I get to my inbox. Notes from friends there, always welcome. Junk mail or more things to add to my to-do list...not so much. :) I feel ya, sista, I feel ya.
Barbie S. said…
Good article. I always love learning new tips to manage my time better. I particularly like the idea of opening only once. That is a big problem for me because I tend to do the opposite. I open them all and then prioritize and go back through. I'm gonna try it this way instead. Thanks!
Melissa Davis said…
I could use MUCH help with numbers 2 and 4, lawd help me - lol

Popular posts from this blog

What Verbal Abuse is Really Like, and Why We Must Care
Guest Post: Terri von Wood

In my speaking travels, I meet the most amazing people. Some are connections that go beyond just a night or a weekend of preac hing. One day on my journey, I met Terri von Wood, and we immediately clicked and have been friends ever since.  Just a reminder that all of our guest bloggers this week are available to chat with you in the comment section here on the blog or on my facebook page where the blog is also published.   *** People who have never suffered through or witnessed abuse (including pastors) often don't know how to help women in abusive situations. Knowledge is power and it is my belief that if the church understood the prevalence of abuse, help would be made available.  First, we must acknowledge that the divorce rate is the same  in the church as in the world.  Second, we must understand that the 50% divorce rate does not include all the women who are abused but stay because they do not know what else to do or do not have anyone to turn to.  If those women we

Relevant Church doing something...

incredibly RELEVANT!

I just heard some news today that really inspired me. A church here in Tampa, Relevant Church is doing a new thing this month called the "30 Days Sex Challenge." (I've never visited the church but Pastor Trinity - our children's pastor - has visited or has met some people from this church and he was very impressed.) Realizing that this is a major element missing from some marriages (the frequency factor) their lead pastor, Paul Wirth, has issued a challenge for all the married couples to have sex for 30 days in a row. At the same time he has issued a challenge for all unmarrieds to completely abstain from sex. Of course we know the Bible says that those who are unmarried should not have sex in the first place but the point is, a lot of unmarried's aren't obeying the Lord's command to abstain and this is just one pastor's way of trying to get them to see that indeed, there is a better way! (God's way!) At the same time, many married couples are not

Stuff I Adore That Costs Little to Nothing...

Okay...taking a break today from writing about heavy things...like grief, loss, and bawling. Time to write about random stuff today that nobody may be interested in reading. Nevertheless here it is... Stuff I adore that costs little to nothing... Listening to playlists I make on (free) Spotify Drinking out of canning jars Reading books again that I already have on my shelf. Walking and riding my bike. Admiring crepe myrtle trees. Taking a bath in the daytime with the lights off in the room. (Natural light.) Naps. Snuggling with my husband or one of the kids and watching a movie at home. Having all noise turned off when no one is home. (No TV, no music, just silence.) Prayer.