Pastors have no shortage of work. I’ve never heard one say, “I’m bored,” and I don’t think I will. Pastors take on dozens of tasks—sermon preparation, visitation, counseling, leadership training, pastoral letters, Bible study, prayer, planning, conferences, and denominational responsibilities. A warehouse worker may have a clearly defined, narrow job description, but a pastor’s work is wide-ranging. Pastors are accountable to God for our work (Heb. 13:17). The last thing we want to do is spin our tires wasting time in unfruitful endeavors. Yet most will admit we feel unproductive at times. There was a time in my ministry when my productivity lagged. Even accomplishing basic tasks was a struggle. No matter what I tried, I couldn’t seem to break out of my funk. But as I carefully thought through and prayed about my ministry habits, the Lord convicted me that I’d relied too much on my personal drive and ministry gifts rather than on God’s Spirit. As I confessed this, the Lord directed me back to the basics. I started reading large chunks of Scripture each day and coupled that with more extended times of prayer. My lethargy eventually passed, and I experienced renewed productivity in ministry. Is your ministry energy lagging? Here are seven practical considerations that can help you grow in productivity by growing in dependence on God’s Spirit. 1. Be clear on your call. Each pastor must know what he’s called to do and what he’s not called to do. It’s easy to be fuzzy on this. But a lack of clarity on your ministry call can lead to frustration, fatigue, diminished effectiveness, and even burnout. Pastors are accountable to God for our work. The last thing we want to do is spin our tires wasting time in unfruitful endeavors. If you haven’t settled your pastoral priorities, sit down with your elders and ministry leaders and discuss four to five priorities for your ministry role. Make sure you’re all on the same page. The goal is staying in your scripturally designated lane. Don’t take on a responsibility that another church member or leader can do equally well. And remember the biblical priority: “Preach the word” (2 Tim. 4:2). That’s the heart of the pastoral call. 2. Prayerfully determine your focus for each day. Along with big-picture clarity, you also need daily clarity. Some days, it’ll be abundantly clear what tasks must be completed because your day is filled with appointments, or it’s Saturday and you haven’t wrapped up your sermon. Other days, more wisdom is needed. Spend time in prayer each morning (or the previous evening), asking the Lord for wisdom to determine your focus for the day. Responding to the tyranny of the urgent can lead to neglect of the most needful tasks. So, be prayerfully intentional about planning ahead. In many ways, pastors are always on call, so you should leave margin in your schedule for emergencies. Other times, matters that present as emergencies can be handled later. Don’t let secondary priorities crowd out your mind or schedule. Be laser-focused on tasks of first importance, those that have come with a clear, divine directive. 3. Embrace regular rhythms. Pastoral ministry tasks can vary greatly from day to day. But within this variety, strive to implement regular rhythms. Set aside days for sermon prep, and block your time each week. Set aside time for one-to-one discipleship, visitation, and leader training. Whatever your responsibilities entail, develop a regular weekly rhythm for accomplishing those tasks. Don’t be too rigid. Pastoral ministry requires some flexibility, but regularity isn’t a failure to depend on God. It generally leads to greater productivity. 4. Use technology wisely. In the 21st century, we’re blessed with innumerable apps and other technologies to help us save time and energy in our work. It’s impossible to keep up with all of them, but they can make life easier on the busy pastor. For example, Bible software programs can be enormously beneficial. So can time- or project-management software. But being tech-savvy alone won’t make you effective and fruitful. Take advantage of good tools, but exercise good judgment too. It’s possible not only to own and use good management tools but to be owned by them. Many heroes of the faith—Martin Luther, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon—were enormously fruitful in ministry long before the advent of the word processor. Why? Because of dependent faith, self-discipline, and a driving passion to faithfully teach God’s Word. 5. Only check your email at designated times each day. If you aren’t careful, you’ll check your email many times a day. But each time you open your inbox, it can interrupt your work flow. Some pastors discipline themselves to only check their email once in the morning and once in the afternoon. They’re more fruitful by far than those who check their email 10 or more times per day. Additionally, limit your exposure to social media, and silence your phone when engaged in a key task. Don’t let every little ding distract you from your call or your awareness of the Lord’s presence. 6. Take breaks, and keep the Sabbath. If you have a three-hour block of time, break it up. Go for a walk in the neighborhood. Stretch your legs to give your mind a break. As much as we want to work all day and never get tired, that’s not how our human bodies function. Yes, we should push ourselves and “spend and be spent” for our Master (2 Cor. 12:15), but we still need breaks. Find ways to practice daily, weekly, and monthly rest too. Remember that keeping the Sabbath is commanded (Ex. 20:8–11; Deut. 5:12–15), and know that even when you’re resting, God is still at work; he never slumbers nor sleeps (Ps. 121:4). As you become more intentionally restful, you’ll also be more fruitful. 7. Commit your work to the Lord. I often pray as I finish my work each day, “Establish the work of [my] hands” (Ps. 90:17). With this prayer, I acknowledge my desperate need for God’s grace. As you become more intentionally restful, you’ll also be more fruitful. Each day, we offer our lives and labors to the Lord, and we trust that the Holy Spirit will use them. Psalm 37:5 is a great reminder and promise. “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.” Brothers, never forget the great work to which you’ve been called (Neh. 6:3). Do all you can to channel your time, energy, and gifts for the God’s glory and the furtherance of his kingdom. And in all you do, depend on him.