Serving People through Facility Maintenance

by Andrew Pust

In our quest to serve people through facility maintenance, we are faced with an apparent dilemma. On the one hand, we seek to be as helpful and friendly as possible as we carry out the responsibility of service. On the other hand, we seek to be as efficient and focused as possible as we carry out the responsibility of maintenance. So how can we do both without becoming frustrated at the distractions offered by each? The fact is that distractions can be prevented, minimized, managed, and resolved but not eliminated. So how do we stay focused on the task in front of us and still respond to the needs and questions of our team?

Plan your day. Planning is the best antidote to distraction. Get in the habit of thinking each day through before you begin the day’s work. A simple list of the five most important things to do that day will be a huge help. Doing the most important things first provides an enjoyable sense of freedom and accomplishment.

Plan ahead. Have a three-month view. This helps you have the proper supplies in hand at the proper time. Long-range communication is also vital. Put projects on the ministry calendar. This gives everyone involved, including you, the opportunity to make timing and event adjustments. Volunteers are especially distracted by poor planning and lack of materials. Be prepared.

Serve. Rarely do plans go as planned. Build some slack into your plans so that distractions that cannot be rescheduled won’t impact your ability to meet your deadlines. Knowing that there is time available to help someone else encourages service with a genuine smile. Remember, serving people and maintaining the facility shouldn’t be mutually exclusive.

Communicate. Take the time to decide on a plan of action; then, within twenty-four hours, communicate your decision and the reasons for it to everyone affected by it. Not every problem can be resolved in that time frame, but no communication today means another call tomorrow. Counteract frustration with information and action.

Remember. Write it down. Life is too busy to trust all the details to memory. When I forget something, it usually doesn’t distract me very much; in fact, I usually get a lot done. However, what I forget to do may be a huge distraction for someone else. Don’t trust your memory when the trust of your teammates or the mission of your ministry is at stake.

Prioritize. Priorities are the tools that help us decide to set aside a distraction or to take care of it right away. Without clear priorities, decisions become subjective, and we end up with distractions ruling our lives. Use the tools of daily goals, planning ahead, a servant’s heart, communication, a good method of remembering, and clear priorities to begin today to reduce the effect of distractions on your ministry.