Let’s Unplug Christmas
Technology is wearing us out.
I'll be the first to admit, advances in the way we communicate have no doubt improved my quality of life. I video chat with family in Virginia, Ohio and Florida on a regular basis; web-based services allow me to work for a company in California from my North Carolina home; even Google has its place around the dinner table as I try to explain how glass is made to my inquisitive 4-year-old. But I've also seen the dark side of technology: we all know the power of a notification—that ding or flash across the screen—disrupting even the deepest trains of thought and leaving you feeling the urgent need to open an app or shoot off a response. We all have a family member or coworker that seems to be bound to their phone by a forcefield rivaling gravity. (And, yes, sometimes that family member is me.)
Our brains are incredible, but I'm learning that "multi-tasking" is a lie. Psychology professor, Larry Rosen, says "It takes about 20 minutes or more after processing new information to achieve total resumption of where we were before the interruption." (This statement is especially applicable to me right now as I try to write this article AND text pick up details to a family friend who's taking my daughter to church tonight). It is impossible to work to the best of your ability when your mind is divided and even more difficult to rest when you're so engulfed in the breakneck pace of digital communication. So let's do something about it: let's unplug for Christmas so we can jump-start our new year.
Now, I'm not telling you to cancel your Christmas Eve live stream or delete the church-wide "Merry Christmas" text blast, but there are healthy guidelines you can put in place among your staff and congregants to take advantage of technology's benefits while minimizing the harm.
Set boundaries and expectations for your team.
Create or designate proper paths of communication.
Outline acceptable ways to get in touch with co-workers and define what urgent and non-urgent actually look like.
Make sure your staff knows the expectations: how quickly do you expect them to respond to an email? To a text message? If you send an email past 5 PM, do they know you don't expect a response that day? It sounds silly, but make sure you communicate the standards of communication.
Define "time off."
Ministry is a tricky beast when it comes to "time-off". I have yet to meet a minister that can resist opening a message from a volunteer after hours and I doubt I'll ever see one actually "leave work at work." So set up boundaries for rest:
Do you expect ministry staff to be available 24/7 or can they turn off their phones after 9 PM?
Are they expected to use their personal phones for work purposes or should all church communication go to their work email and through the church office?
What does a "vacation" look like? Are there aspects of their ministry they are still responsible for regardless of where in the world they are?
Note: it's not wrong to have high standards—most ministers know they're not signing up for a typical 9 to 5—but make sure the standard is clear so your staff has permission to unplug when appropriate.
Set them up for a win.
For holidays, Christmas especially, make sure you are creating an environment conducive to rest. I know Candlelight Christmas Eve Services and your annual Drive-Thru Nativity must go on, and a lot of staff end up working more hours around Christmas activities than any other time of the year but make sure they do have time to enjoy the season.
Designate a weekday they aren't allowed in the office or make sure they can take a full week off at the beginning of January.
Staff your office with a seasonal admin or a few extra volunteers to help with tasks like copying and answering the phones.
Make sure your congregants know the amount of work your staff puts in: show your appreciation from the platform and stick up for your children's minister when a parent complains they didn't respond within 60 minutes of her Saturday night text message.
Practice what you preach.
If your staff is burnt out or running on empty there's a good chance you are, too—they learned it from someone. Make sure you are taking the appropriate time to rest and recharge. Don't send emails late at night. Keep your communication short and sweet. And even though we're harping on this in December, make sure you practice these habits all year round to engrain rest and healthy communication into the very fabric of your church culture.
Especially with the year we've had, let's try and make Christmas restful for everyone this season.
Not sure you're taking care of your staff the way you should? Do you have more questions about communication or vacation days or anything church HR-related? We’ve got you! Schedule a free call with us to find out how we can make your job easier!
Amanda Baranowski is the Marketing Coordinator at HR Ministry Solutions. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Johnson University where she studied the Management of Nonprofit Organizations and Bible. She lives in North Carolina with her worship minister husband and two kids.