When your job involves a daily ministry of service, it is easy to get distracted. But, with so much to do and so little time, it becomes even more important that we use the precious resource of our hours well.

Here are some principles and practices that will help you develop effective time-management skills.

Worst First: In Eat That Frog! (Berrett-Koehler Publishers), Brian Tracy suggests that if you have to eat a frog every day and it's absolutely the worst thing you have to do, then make it the first thing that you do, so that the rest of your day is not filled with anxiety.

For example, if your most dreaded activity is a daily inventory count, then make inventory the first thing you do on a daily basis so that you can move on and enjoy the rest of the day.

Clear Focus: In Never Check E-mail in the Morning (Fireside), Julie Morgenstern advocates that you spend the majority of your day on tasks that focus on the bottom line.

If your bottom line is sales, then most of your time should be concentrated there. To reach this goal, you may need to focus on getting the right products, hiring and training the right people on the right things, setting up your store to create an environment where people want to buy and getting people to buy when they get to the store.

Baby Steps: Break down major goals into manageable tasks. Each project should begin with the end in mind. Suppose you want to get 50 new people to visit your store in a weekend by doing a live remote broadcast with your local Christian radio station. One of your tasks may involve creating an incentive package, such as a free T-shirt, gift basket, gift card or free CD to give to those people who come out.

Other tasks may include scheduling the remote, arranging payment for the radio station and increasing sales staff for that day.

Keep Track: Microsoft Outlook is a software package that can greatly assist you with time management if used properly. Franklin Covey PlanPlus software is another great electronic system.

-Pearlina Simmons is a former church bookstore manager.

-Read the complete article at http://www.thechurchbookstore.com/a.php?ArticleID=16177.