Not much for today, folks, other than a quick recommendation.
I don’t know if you look for other ways to be inspired or for other blogs to read that are an 11 out of 10, but I’d recommend you visit Carlos Whittaker at Ragamuffin Soul on a regular basis.
Good stuff, plain and simple.
Deadlines. Projects. More projects. Things to learn and read and do. How do you do it all and do it well?
I’m not sure, really. The end. Thanks for reading.
Seriously, there are things we can all do for better time management and prioritizing, but better time management and prioritizing also take time and need to be a priority. Funny how that works.
I’m no expert, but here are a few things I try to implement daily to get things done. In no particular order….
1. Pray and read.
This isn’t a Christian blog or company, but it is written and operated by me, and I follow Jesus. So this is my default first priority. I fail at keeping it #1, just like I fail at the other items below. But when prayer and Bible reading are my first priority everything else tends to be easier. Even the most difficult things, while still difficult, are manageable.
2. Get up early.
If you are going to sleep until 10am don’t expect to get a lot done. That’s a generalization, of course. I’m sure plenty of you can stay up late and work better on a different schedule. But in the case of waking up earlier, do a web search for health benefits, habits of effective and successful people, and waking up early.
Then again, finding what works best for you is a priority, as well. Also, expect habits and needs to change as you age, change jobs, and change lifestyles.
3. Simplify.
Clear the desk. Clear the room of all but the necessities or the inspiring things that help you work. Clean the computer desktop.
The article Steve Leveen: A Tabula Rasa Is Peace of Mind is a good place to get advice on this topic.
4. Organize yourself quickly and efficiently.
A wise man once told me that you always put your tools back in the right place when you are done with your work. Why? Because the next time you need them you will know exactly where they are.
The same goes for design or other creative work. Try to put things away. Label your layers in Photoshop. Name your assets in Final Cut. Get a to-do list like Wunderlist (my personal favorite) or Evernote. Learn to use the most basic tasks quickly, organize efficiently, and get on with your work. Your work is not organizing (unless you are a professional organizer, I guess). It’s creating. Organizing can be used as a distraction. Thus the “simplify” item above. The simpler things are and the less junk (that you probably don’t need) that you have to organize the more time you have for your Work.
5. Get to work!
If this is what you are supposed to do then do it. Yes, there are writer’s blocks, stalls in the creative process, and a loss of ideas. Then do something about it. Sit in a different chair. Go for a walk. Read something from a writer better than yourself. Listen to a song. Play with your kids.
This isn’t Playdoh (which I love). This is your life’s work, assuming you’ve deciphered that by now (and assuming your life’s work isn’t Playdoh, which would be awesome).
If this is your life’s work then you were meant to give us what you were born to do. I know it’s not easy. But you can do it. It’s why you’re here.
Got any productivity tips? Software recommendations?
Do you work better in the morning or another time?
In my previous post I detailed five items that every church website should have. In this list, as well as the list from last week, ask yourself this question: What could we do with our website to intentionally give visitors a bad impression and/or drive them away? It’s the same as asking “what can we do to get them here and make them feel welcome”. But in answering the first question – what could you do to drive them away – you may find you’re doing many of the answers already (bad or non-existent directional signage, no one to welcome guests at the door, confusing ‘church’ language).
But today’s focus is on saving you time, time that I have spent on things that, quite frankly, just didn’t need my attention. At several times as a volunteer and as an art director on a church staff I poured time into a website only to check stats after two years and find that most pages had been viewed only a handful of times. My next goal was research to find out what people did want to see on our sites. My conclusion was that I could consolidate and provide what people really needed – instead of what I wanted them to need – and devote extra time to them, instead.
1. Out of date ministry information.
If there is a need to put all of your organization’s ministry information on your website, consider only a one-page summary of them all instead of full details. Full details or a page for each and every aspect of your church is overwhelming to the visitor, means a lot of extra work for you, and (chances are) the pages will be out of date quickly.
And you do not want an out-of-date website. It gives the wrong impression, especially to visitors (those most likely to visit your site). Provide a synopsis of your ministries. Cast the vision, not the details.
2. Poor photos of the leadership.
If a picture is worth a thousand words then a poor photo of the leadership is worth going elsewhere. Yes, that is shallow of me to say and for others to believe. We want to stay away from branding the church or projecting a picture of ourselves that is not true.
However, good quality cameras are everywhere. If you don’t have one there is likely someone at your congregation with a good DSLR that will gladly volunteer an hour or so to photograph the staff and leadership. You’re not after directory photos. Just be yourself. (Example)
Again, you’re not trying to pretend, and you’re not trying to lure visitors with your photos. This is simply an easy thing to improve upon these days, and everything churches create should be with excellence because of the One for whom you are creating.
The acceptable alternative: no photos.
3. Don’t tell me what will happen to my kids.
People are nervous visiting a new church. Don’t add to the nervousness by making them guess what will happen with their children when they get there. Be kind, concise, and reassuring in how you detail the process of classes, the nursery, and other things.
4. Poor website design.
This one falls into general usability and is born out of research from various places. It’s always best to make things simple and accessible on the web. There is no real need for graphics with large file sizes, videos that don’t load, or poor design. If you simply cannot scale your graphics, don’t use them. If you cannot guarantee the video will load on my laptop as well as my iPad, don’t use it (or just use YouTube, or just don’t use a video at all). If you don’t know how to design, find someone who does.
I’ll say again: you’re not trying to brand yourself or be more of a business than a church. I know this stuff sounds shallow. A cynical generation is visiting your website, however, and it’s best to remove barriers, especially those that are simple to solve…even with help.
You don’t have to operate the next mega-church website. Keep it simple and communicate clearly so you can remove barriers to building the relationships that matter. We are made for relationships and the digital culture can easily discourage healthy ones. As a volunteer or staff member at your church, we need you more than the website. You have the ability to be efficient, concise, and professional with your site and then have more time to give people what they really need. You.
I’ve spent the past 15 years in the world of non-profit and church print, web and all-around art direction. But that doesn’t make me the expert. You’ve got thoughts, too. Got an idea for a blog article? Send it in and I’ll see what thoughts I can throw out for discussion. Have a comment of your own? Post below!
Hopefully you’ll see this article for what it is – an attempt to help you save time in your ministry at your church. As far as my experience with church websites there is one basic truth: not even your membership really visits your site and there’s not much you can do about it. (That’s a generalization and really applies to most ‘normal’ churches – not mega-churches or other more modern, technology oriented groups).
Accept that fact and you’ll be fine with the rest of what I’m about to say because even though it’s not well visited your church website can still offer something.
Here are the top 5 things your church website needs.
1. Location.
People need to know your location and how to contact you. It’s one of the top 2 reasons people will visit your site. Your homepage should have an easily located address and a link to a Google or Bing map. Also include your phone number and email address.
2. Service times.
The second reason people visit your site – to find out when you meet. This should be clear and on the homepage, as well. Don’t make us search for these first two items. It’s all most people are after so make it easy to find – up front.
3. Service audio and/or video.
Your church members visit for only a few reasons, but this is one of them. However, if you are doing it right this will be a podcast or other syndicated feed to which they can subscribe. Therefore, visits to the site will be minimal but you keep folks updated through a free (key word) and easy to use system.
4. Visitor information.
Want to make someone feel unwelcome at your meeting place? Start by making them feel unwelcome at your website. Quick and concise visitor information should be easy to find. Also, tell me where my kids will be and what they’ll do in a safe and secure environment (assuming you have one of those).
5. Online donations.
While you don’t have to do this I recommend it with the exception of allowing credit cards. If you can find a system where people can donate on a weekly, monthly or quarterly basis with a debit card or, better yet, a bank transfer, then you are able to keep costs low while allowing a digital generation the opportunity to continue giving in an environment in which they are growing more and more comfortable.
I’ll continue this Monday with some items I intentionally left off this list.
If you attend a certain congregation regularly – do you also visit that congregation’s website regularly? Why?
