Effective Planning Strategies: Batching Work and Work Sprints (Pomodoro)

Posted on January 17, 2020 by revlisad

Photo by Andrey Grushnikov on Pexels.com

Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back. – Harvey Mackay

“Teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart.”

Psalm 90:12 reminds us to value our time and tend it well because it is a gift of God. Using it well honors the gift.

This is the second of a series of posts on effective planning strategies. These simple strategies work again and again for me and I hope they help you as well.

Today, let’s explore two related strategies- Batching Work and Work Sprints.

Batching Work
Switching from one project/task to another takes more effort than we realize. It takes time to gather supplies and resources for the next project, plus additional time to remember where you are in the project.

Batching work minimizes switching between projects/tasks, saving time and energy. We naturally do this for things like exercise and hygiene so it’s easy to expand this to other parts of our day.

Rather than answering emails throughout the day, you batch that work into one time period. This is equally helpful for returning phone calls, meal preparation, tending to social media, shopping, spiritual practices, reading, etc.

I used to plan two worship services weekly. I’d drag out all my planning resources and reorient myself to the themes. Now I plan four-six weeks in one batch. It’s so much easier and quicker.

Batching work is also helpful for larger projects requiring deep thinking. Setting aside a few hours on a single project creates energy and momentum for brainstorming, decision making, and laying out the steps for implementation.

Work Sprints (Pomodoro Technique)
Batching becomes even more powerful when paired with work sprints. In a work sprint, you set a timer for 25 minutes of uninterrupted work on a single project/task. At the end of the 25 minutes, you take a 5-minute break, then decide if you’re moving on to a different task or staying with the current task.

Work Sprints are also known as the Pomodoro Technique, created by Francesco Cirillo in the 1990s while he was a university student. His timer was a kitchen timer shaped like a tomato, pomodoro in Italian. Be sure to check out the video below, his website, and his book for a deeper explanation of the strategy.

Why I Value Work Sprints

It helps me recognize how long I’m spending on one project/task. This keeps my perfectionism in check.
It keeps my monkey brain from jumping from project to project and my rabbit brain from chasing distractions.
It helps me start a project I’m procrastinating doing because its hard, scary, or new. “It’s only 25 minutes. I can handle this.”
It’s fun to race the clock.

Let me know how these strategies work for you. I’d also love to hear what other strategies help you honor God’s gift of time and work. Leave a comment below.

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Effective Planning Strategies: Batching Work and Work Sprints
© 2020 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.

Growing in Resilience: Focus Me, based on Philippians 4.6-9

Posted on November 9, 2018 by revlisad

focus Growing in Resilience
Day 31, Read Philippians 3-4
Reflection: Focus Me, based on Philippians 4:6-9

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Almighty God,
Most powerful, most near, most good
I surrender my worries to you
My overthinking, my foreboding, my dis-ease
I ask, you supply
I reveal my angst, my weakness, my reality
You bring goodness and mercy all the days of my life

Thank you for your steadfast love
You are Faithful Forever
Thank you for your saving power
You are Resurrection and Life
Thank you for grace upon grace

Your generosity overwhelms my fear
Your peace surpasses all I need and understanding
Guard my heart with your peace
Guard my mind with your peace
Guard the fullness of me in the fullness of Christ Jesus my Lord,
the Prince of Peace

Focus my attention and hope on your goodness:
Your truth, your honor, your justice
All are at work in your world

Focus my attention and hope on your goodness:
Your purity, your delight, your commending
All are at work in your world

Focus my attention and hope on your goodness:
Your excellence, your praise
All are it work in your world
All are at work in me, my situation, this very moment

Focus my attention, my power, my resources
To keep doing all you show me to be right
All I am learning and receiving and hearing and seeing in Jesus

Focus me on your promises that I may persevere
That I may grow in resilience and hope
That I may stay true no matter the season or situation
That I may be effective in bearing your grace and peace
And in bringing honor and glory to your name. Amen.

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Click Here for more on the Growing in Resilience Reading Plan sponsored by Bishop Ken Carter and the Cabinet of the Florida Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Focus Me © 2018 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.

Sermon Recording- People on Fire (Acts 2.1-4)

Posted on June 29, 2018 by revlisad

Sermon Series Website What is Church
Sermon Series: What is Church?
Message 5 of 6: People on Fire
Scriptures: Acts 2:1-4
This message was offered Sunday, 5/20/18 at Trinity United Methodist Church, Sarasota Florida.

Happy Pentecost!

Matthew 3:11, NRSV In preparing the people for the coming of Jesus, John the Baptist promised, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Acts 1:5-8 NRSV, selected verses On the day in which he ascended to heaven, Jesus promised, “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now…. you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 2:1-4, NRSV Ten days later, Jesus fulfilled his promises. “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven, there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.”

2 Timothy 1:5-7 NIV Paul later counseled Timothy, “I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”

Prayer by Gene Barlett: Set my soul afire, Lord, set my soul afire. Make my life a witness of Thy saving power. Millions grope in darkness, waiting for Thy Word. Set my soul afire, Lord, set my soul afire.

Sermon Subpage Header Fire

Excerpt from Tongues by Steve Garnaas Holmes

What if God is still doing Pentecost?
What if God wants to say something through you? Is it getting spoken? Is it getting sent?
What if you are the Word God is trying to get out?
What if you are the language in which God expresses love?
What if there are ways, even beyond your own knowing, that others hear God’s good news through your life?
What if God gives you everything you need to do this?

The Power of the Holy Spirit isn’t just for long ago, it is a gift that comes again, again, again. It is God’s divine, empowering presence generation after generation.

Moses and the Burning Bush
The Pillar of Flame leading the people from slavery through the wilderness to the promised land
The Dancing Tongues of Fire on the heads of the faithful at Pentecost
Francis/Clare of Assisi
Susanna/John Wesley
Mother Teresa, Billy Graham, Dr. King
It’s in you, a gift for all who believe

Draw close to the fire
Being “on fire” = focused, all in, achieving, in the zone, unstoppable

This is what it means to be followers of Jesus, to be the church, we are a people on fire

Brennan Manning Quote: The gospel is absurd and the life of Jesus is meaningless unless we believe that He lived, died, and rose again with but one purpose in mind: to make brand-new creation. Not to make people with better morals but to create a community of prophets and professional lovers, men and women who would surrender to the mystery of the fire of the Spirit that burns within, who would live in ever greater fidelity to the omnipresent Word of God, who would enter into the center of it all, the very heart and mystery of Christ, into the center of the flame that consumes, purifies, and sets everything aglow with peace, joy, boldness, and extravagant, furious love.

This, my friend, is what it really means to be a Christian.

Between Acts 1:5-8 and Acts 2:1-4, the 120 followers of Jesus gathered together and prayed for 9 days together. They drew close to the fire. They were “men and women who surrendered to the mystery of the fire of the Spirit that burns within… who entered into the center of it all, the very heart and mystery of Christ.”

Illustration of the coal and the fire

Draw close to the fire
The Fire of God

Consumes falsehood, sin, self-centeredness, apathy, fear
Purifies our motives
Lights us up. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.”
Empowers us to live and to act in faith

Draw close to the fire

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I’m excited to now offer mp3’s of my Sunday messages. A huge thank you to Sean and my brothers and sisters at Trinity United Methodist Church, Sarasota for all their help in making this possible. If you’re ever in Sarasota, please drop by for worship Sundays at 9:00 am or 10:30 am, or join us live on our Facebook page at 9:00 am Sundays or drop by during the week for a chat or small group. You and those you love are always welcome.

sermon © 2018 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Contact Lisa for posting and publication considerations.

The Tools You Need to Stop Procrastinating and Start Focusing on What Matters

Posted on January 1, 2018 by revlisad

You can bravely do the next thing, because God’s got this thing. Perfect Love terminates The Perfectionist Terrorist — which eliminates the Procrastinator — which liberates you, the Presenter…. to unwrap the gift of right now, your one life. – Ann Voskamp

If you haven’t found Ann Voskamp, stop everything and run to her blog right now. There you will find a woman of deep authentic faith, a kind and generous and vulnerable soul whose writings and resources prepare the way for God to move powerfully in your life.

As we step into a new year, it’s my joy to draw your attention to three Voskamp resources which help me focus on what really matters. One I use daily and the other two I use monthly.

Her free daily planning page template is a Godsend. It’s far more than a scheduling page. It’s everything you need in one place for holistic living- meal planning, hydration reminder, exercise reminder, gratitude journal, relationship building reminder, memory verse, to do list … you get the idea. (Click here for an article on this resource from Voskamp’s blog.)

My 2017 Purpose Page

I’ve been using Voskamp’s daily planning page for a couple of years now, but 2017 was the first year I used her Purpose Page and Monthly Cue Cards. (Click here for an article on these resources from Voskamp’s blog.)

Each month you’re provided a prompt to help you focus on what really matters. You can fill out the entire page at the beginning of the year and live into those intentions or fill it out month by month as the Spirit leads. Once you have your focus words, you write a prayer based on the intentions using the cue cards. Be sure to post your intentions and prayers where you can see them regularly.

I chose the month to month pattern in 2017. Looking back on this list at the end of the year, I can see God’s leading throughout the year. I can remember specific promptings from God- doors opening and others closing, the finetuning of perspective. It’s incredible how something so simple can break through the distractions and excuses.

Here’s my 2017 list. I’m seriously thinking of keeping it for 2018 as well.

Embrace Ceasing: Silence, Solitude, Sabbath, Slowing
Engage Injustice: Speak Up, Pray Up, Speak Out, Show Up
Be Healthy: Track Meals, Drink Water, Move, Go to Meetings (I joined Weight Watchers)
Believe God for the Growth: I trust You. Renew a right spirit within me.
Break the Chains: Poverty, Prejudice, Jealousy, Addiction
Daily Grace: Mind, Body, Soul, Heart
Do the New, Hard Thing: Try, Prioritize, Courage, Focus
Let Go of Fear: Not good enough. Not pretty enough.
Learn to Prioritize: No Time = No Priorities
Live Expectant: Faith, Hope, Trust, Eyes to See
Give it Away: Simplify, Downsize, Bless, Generosity
Grow the Seeds: Nurture, Shine Light, Water, Stake Up

I pray these resources are a blessing to you. Leave a comment with your favorite resources or about these resources. May the grace of a new year draw you closer to God, your true self, and the fulfillment of God’s purpose for your life. – Lisa <><

Focus Me, a prayer based on Philippians 4

Posted on October 20, 2017 by revlisad

Based on Philippians 4:6-9

Almighty God,
Most powerful, most near, most good
I surrender my worries to you
I have asked, you will supply
I have made my needs and desires known
You will bring goodness and mercy

Thank you for your steadfast love and faithfulness
Thank you for your saving power
Thank you for grace upon grace

Your peace surpasses all need and understanding
Guard my heart with your peace
Guard my mind with your peace
Guard me now and always in Christ Jesus my Lord, the Prince of Peace.

Focus my attention and hope on your goodness, your truth, your honor, your justice. All are at work in your world.

Focus my attention and hope on your goodness, your purity, your delight, your commending. All are at work in your world.

Focus my attention and hope on your goodness, your excellence, your praise. All are it work in your world.

All are at work in me, my situation, this very moment.

Focus my attention, my power, my resources to keep doing all you show me to be right, for you are with me, God of Peace and Hope.

Focus me on your promises that I may persevere, no matter the season or situation, for the building of your kingdom and the glory of your name. Amen.

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Focus Me © 2017 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
You are welcome to use this work in a worship setting with proper attribution.
Leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.

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