My undergrad degree is industrial engineering. So, planning is second nature for me. As a busy pastor, I’ve found that I can never get adequate long-term planning done unless I carve out regular extended times away—by myself and away from the office. 

Here are a few tips I suggest.

1. Schedule three to four personal planning times each year, preferable overnight in a place with no TV.  I go to a local Christian encampment and I’m usually the only one there. Schedule those times well in advance of ministry seasons (i.e., August/September for the coming year plans).

2. Keep a list of items you want to think about on your retreats. I have a list app on my iPhone where I jot down ideas and thoughts I want to pursue later but don’t have time at the moment to think about.

3. On the retreat, prioritize what you want to plan, starting with the most important. I’ve discovered I never get to everything, but I do get to the priorities.

4. The first thing I do when I arrive (after prayer) is schedule my next retreat three months later. That way I know I have a block of time to work on the items I don’t get to in this one.

5. Go expecting that God will guide this process.

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