The Books I Loved in 2022 2022 was a great reading year for me. A few years ago I switched to reading on the Libby app (library app) on my phone, and haven’t looked back – it’s made reading much convenient and easier on my hands. Here are my favorites: Ultimate Favorites: Fiction: Tomorrow, and …
What is “nimbleness” and why should we value it as church leaders?
Back in undergrad, a professor asked my classmates and me to say how much we liked/didn’t like group projects. He said to rank them “from 1-5” so I ranked them “Zero,” and in case my meaning wasn’t clear, I added, “I hate them.” Then he put us students in three groups: one for the people …
I Used to Hate Group Projects, and Now I Collaborate All the Time. Here’s What Changed. Read More »
I save a lot of my easy or mundane tasks to do later. I call this the “strategy of low-hanging fruit.” When I have energy, I want to spend it climbing to the top of the tree. All that low-hanging fruit can wait.
Dear Creatives and other people with flexible schedules: I used to work on a lot of different things every day. I would work on my podcast, and my music, and send emails and and and…all on the same day. Oh and that book that I was “writing”? Ha. Yeah, that never got my attention. But …
Theme Your Days for More Deep Work and Less Stress Read More »
Earlier this year I switched to a 6 week work cycle. Here’s what it is: 6 weeks of concentrated work on a handful of goals/projects, then 2 weeks of buffer time to tie up loose ends, rest, and plan the next cycle. When I finished the cycle, I realized something had fundamentally shifted in my …
I switched to a 6 week work cycle, and I’m never going back Read More »
There’s no regular Music and the Church podcast this week because I’ve spent several days taking care of a sick toddler (fortunately he’s on the mend). But I want drop in with this reminder:
This summer, I tried a 6 week + 2 week work cycle for the first time. And I loved it enough that I’m doing it again. Here’s what is it: make plans and goals for a 6 week time frame, and give yourself 2 weeks of buffer afterward to tie up loose ends, rest, and …
What I Learned from a 6 Week + 2 Week Work Cycle Read More »
Recently on the Happier podcast, I heard of the distinction between working in your business and working on your business. To me, that’s the big difference between summers and the rest of the year for church musicians. In fact, I think this distinction helps us conceptualize the work we do for other church programs that …
“Working On” versus “Working In” Your Church Music Program Read More »
Writing a first draft can be a sure way to experience writer’s block (and get a really clean kitchen). But last year I discovered two tools that free up my thinking: Blank printer paper and 5×8 legal pads.