Can I do it all?
Jul 17th, 2008 by learningumbrella
I start my new job in 15 days! I’m really excited, and I keep thinking of things - so much so that I have to carry my “Idea Book” around with me so I can jot things down as they come to me. It’s that or my head would explode! Yesterday while I was ironing DH’s shirts, I kept thinking of things I wanted to write in the Fall Parents’ Newsletter, and I had to stop and write that down. I’ve already written my columns for the church newsletter for the next three months, and filed them away. I’m running out of things I can do in advance!
I’ve had two meetings to lay out my plans for the new church year, one meeting with the committee that is concerned with this stuff and one with my minister. What concerns me is that at both of these meetings I’ve been counseled not to try and do too much, and that it all sounds like a lot to take on. Hmm - are they all right? Am I biting off too much? The problem is, that I’ve already tabled several cool ideas I wanted to do, and I can’t imagine giving up one of these projects that are left!
My fall workload includes: launching a new year of Earth Scouts as outreach to the general community, training our volunteer teachers and launching the new curriculum (which I am partially writing and adapting), planning and telling one story a month to the congregation, starting and leading a new Children’s Chapel service once a month, redesigning how we keep track of registrations and attendance, and getting our website and other communications rewritten for our new program. Other stuff is going to come up, too. I can see why that sounds like a lot, but it’s all stuff I’m excited to do!
I also think people don’t understand. For me, I’ve been logging in around 10 volunteer hours a week at this for the last year. This while I had to do 50 hours a week of daycare. Sure, some of that was multitask time, when I was both doing daycare and doing a job for the church. I have not had child-free work hours since my son was born. I’ve gone to graduate school, written a Master’s thesis, done all my student-teaching grading and lesson planning, all while I had at least one child with me. The idea of the three days a week I will be in the office without my children is like some kind of dream. I will be able to get so much done! Oh my goodness, it will be like naptime, but even better! I have actually hired someone to watch my children so I can go into an office by myself and work on my job.
So, to summarize why I think I can basically conquer the world this year:
1. I will not be doing daycare anymore, getting rid of a huge stress.
2. I’m doing something I feel so passionate about, that I’m going to be living the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: Your work should be in praise of what you love.
3. Things I was doing anyway as a volunteer will now count as part of my “real job”.
4. I will not have to do it all while watching my kids - just part of it.
5. I am not chronically ill anymore. This is the first time in three years I can say that, and then it was only true for 2 years between children, as I was ill for 5 years before I had my son. I feel healthy and strong again - and I could still do so much while I struggled with chronic pain. Now I really do want to take on the world, with that burden of pain removed!
6. I can’t imagine NOT doing this stuff - if I wasn’t doing it, I’d be thinking about it and wanting to be doing it.
7. I have huge family support for me to do this. Not just DH, but my family and my in-laws are all excited for me to be doing something I really want to do. They have all offered to babysit, help out, etc. And, they all owe me for things I do for them, so I’m going to cash in on that!
8. When your work is a joy, it doesn’t really matter how many hours a week it takes. Not that I think it’s all going to be joyful and fun - I am a realist who does see that sometimes it’s not going to be fun.
We’ll see. I think it’s going to be great, and I’m full of energy to do this. Hopefully, I am correct, and not delusional. 
Since you asked, I’ll throw in my two cents. You can take it or leave it. Just pretend its not me talking. Pretend it is some DRE off in DRE land.
You can do all those great things! Yes you can. Absolutely! This ministry is gonna blow the roof off the community! Seriously.
Just pace it out. Trying to do it all at once, *even if it is doable for you,* is in my experience not always the best thing for congregations and volunteers.
Do those things, but not necessarily all at once.
Let the congregation build momentum and ownership of ideas. You are no longer a volunteer working for ten hours a week, throwing your ideas into the ring and hoping others get interested. But you also aren’t coming in to just do it your way either– to build the ministry you always dreamed of. Once upon a time (over a decade ago now I think), the congregation had a fabulous DRE who was more than capable of being super human. He did a LOT! Everything he touched seemed to turn to gold! The congregation still remembers this as the golden era of the congregation. Lots of kids. Lots of fabulous activities. Only thing…he was the center of it all. It was a great six years, but that was it. When he left (partially because of burnout by the way), the whole structure collapsed. So much rested on him being super human and on his energy and charisma. A healthy ministry is a collaborative, intentional one. A healthy ministry won’t rest on whether or not things are doable for you.
One other thing, in all your planning, consider this first year a time to focus on building an education around ministry. You are already well educated on education, and you have a great history in hands-on-learning about ministry. But this is a new dimmension for your vocational life. Join the “reach” email list on the UUA website. Attend the ren. modules and any DRE retreats. Attend to your life of spirit.
My advice to new DREs– anyone, anywhere– is always to start with a foundational approach. Care for the soil. Plant the seeds. Water, weed, water, weed, water, weed, water, weed. Feed. Nurture. Test the soil again. Water, weed, nurture, feed, water, weed, nurture, feed, water, weed. You will do AMAZING things. You will.
And again, this is advice I would give to a new DRE anywhere.
I’ve been trying to read through your older posts and still haven’t made it to the one about your new job. So first let me say Congratulations. I’m so happy for you. Your joy is huge and jumps off the screen.
The above comment has great advice. I’m sure you can do this! And I’m sure there will be times when it will be difficult.
BTW, I love that you can admit that working in the office without your children around is going to be so fun. I love my kids but I love working and reading by myself!
That is all wonderful news! I didn’t realize you had been ill for so long. It really does sound like you have a spectacular year ahead.
http://tribeof3feistykids.blogspot.com/
I have every confidence that you can do ALL those things ,and enjoy it to boot! We are very similar, so I get it the passion and focus and drive. One things that gives me tremendous peace of mind is my organization.
I encourage you to start keeping an organized visual yearly planner, as well as a day planner. Mark down everything, even recurring items like (submissions due to newletter by 15th each month). Use different colors for each group, if it helps.
Then, go to the day planner. If you are presenting on the 20th, writing in all the steps of planning and writing presentation a few days earlier. Give yourself cushions for time, in case one of the kids gets sick or something. Be very specific about listing ALL duties, even household.
I rarely need to cram in a project from start to finish, but rather work over time in continual bits, which makes everyone happier. The outcome is the same, but I never feel overwhelmed.
Congratulations! You are going to shine!
Oh yes, take time to nurture and create a solid team. Delegating is the best skill I have developed over the years. It not only serves to take some tasks off my hands, but it fosters a sense of ownership and commitment in others toward the end goal.
I’m excited for you, not only for these wonderful changes in your career but for the return of your health. What blessings! Enjoy this time.