Your weekly roundup of insights and resources to help you get more done for the glory of God.

In Today’s Issue:

• How to Use an Apple Watch as a Dumb Phone
• The Baby Steps of Productivity
• No, I Don’t Want AI to Write for Me
• Morgen: An Impressive New Productivity App
• Quote: Too Busy to Be Content

Dear steward,

“What dumb phone are you using?”

I keep getting that question in response to a few mentions I’ve made about not using a smartphone in some of my podcasts and videos on quitting social media. So I thought I’d give you the lowdown on the current state of my digital minimalism.

The short version is that I currently pay $6.50 a month for my phone plan that uses an Apple Watch as a standalone phone. In fact, I sold my iPhone back in October.

It’s been just me and this little watch for about five months now. I’ve flown around the country, taken long solo drives, and navigated big cities all without a phone. So I’ve experiences first-hand both the benefits and drawbacks of using a an Apple Watch as a standalone dumb phone.

This week I wrote about why I chose this setup, and the details of how you can do it too, if you’re so inclined.

Read: How to Use an Apple Watch as a Standalone Phone

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Redeeming Productivity Academy

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In this brand new, 9-week curriculum from Redeeming Productivity, we’ll help walk you through a process for getting clear on your calling, organized in your systems, and consistent in your habits.

It’s a biblical perspective on personal productivity combined with practical strategies to help you grow in faithfulness in every area of life, for the glory of God.

Waypoints to Well Done is available now as part of Redeeming Productivity Academy.

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The Roundup

The best links & resources I found this week.

The Baby Steps of Productivity (33 mins)

Phil Cecil / Theologically Driven

Recently, I was on Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary’s podcast discussing a step-by-step process for growing in Christian productivity.

No, I don’t want AI to write for me (4 mins)

Chris Bailey

As a writer, I really resonated with this one.

“But AI writing feels very different from using a calculator to help us multiply things. When a piece of software takes what you have written and completely changes it, you may end up with something that is technically perfect. But you lose yourself—and more importantly your voice—in the process.”

Morgen: A Digital Daily PlannerNow, this seems like a more appropriate application for AI…

At this point I’m pretty dialed in with my productivity app suite. I manage most things in the Christina Productivity Planner for Notion. So I tend not to spend a lot of time trying out every new productivity app that comes out. But this one caught my eye…

I was reading an interview with the creator of Morgen this morning. And thought this was a planning app worth sharing with you all. Morgen has several unique features, I find intriguing.

• Combines a robust to-do list with a dynamic calendar that adapts to your day.
• Differentiation between “due date” and “do date”
• “Frames” basically a feature that lets you overlay an ideal schedule on your week, and automatically schedule certain task types to that time block (writing projects to your writing block, for example).
• Connects with a bunch of other productivity tools. So you can grab your tasks from, say, Notion, and then schedule them with Morgen. Very cool.

This YouTube video shows a bit more about how Morgen works. I haven’t had a chance to take a deep dive with the app myself yet. But from what I’m seeing, I really think their philosophy of time management jives well with what we teach at Redeeming Productivity.

Quote of the Week

“We are too busy to be content. (Which is crazy, since the reason we kill ourselves today is because we think it will make us content tomorrow.)”Max Lucado

Take your productivity to the next level

Listen to the Podcast → The Redeeming Productivity Show is available on all podcast platforms and YouTube.​

Get the Book → Grab a copy of ​Redeeming Productivity: Getting More Done for the Glory of God​

Join the Academy → Get access to all of our courses, workshops, private community, planner, and more​​

Use the Planner → The all-in-one productivity system designed for Christians

I keep getting that question in response to my mentioning not using a smartphone anymore. So I thought I’d give you the lowdown.

The short version is that I pay $6.50 a month and use just an Apple Watch as a standalone phone. I’ll quickly explain why I chose this setup, and the details of how you can do it too, if you’re so inclined.

Why Apple Watch Is the Ultimate Dumb Phone

Since quitting social media in 2023, I’ve been much more intentional with all of my screen time. In the past I’ve done experiments using the The Light Phone II and last year I spent a few weeks with the Cat S22, before ultimately deciding it wasn’t for me. But I’ve found a solution that works for me.

The problem I’ve had with dumb phones is that I’m just so locked into the Apple ecosystem. So I’ve found it hard to completely break away from my iPhone.

Several times I tried going a stretch of leaving my iPhone at home and just using an Apple Watch with cellular with varying levels of success. But I’d always end up using the phone again more than I’d like. And part of me felt stupid for paying for an expensive phone plan, without actually using it.

But for the past 5 months I’ve been using just an Apple Watch as my phone. In fact, I sold my iPhone back in October. Here’s how I set it all up.

How to Set Up Your Apple Watch as a Dumb Phone

Obviously, you could use any Apple Watch model that has cellular capabilities—as long as it’s tied to an iPhone. But for the reasons I stated above, I found that less than ideal.

The real unlock is using Apple Watch For Your Kids, which lets you setup an Apple Watch as a standalone phone with it’s own iCloud account, as long there is a “parent iPhone” tied to it.

And this was made all the easier—and cheaper—with US Mobile’s Apple Watch Companion Plan, which launched last year.

I currently pay $78 a year (effectively $6.50/month) for my Watch’s plan. The only catch is that you need to have the parent iPhone also on a US Mobile plan. In my case, that’s my wife’s iPhone. But they have great pricing, so it was an easy switch for us.

Using an Apple Watch as my standalone phone gives me everything I need: iMessage, phone calls, calendar, podcasts, and GPS. And none of the stuff I don’t want: YouTube, social media, news, endless distractions.

And the best part is I still get to use my own iCloud account, independent from my wife’s phone. So I can still message with my fellow iPhone users from my MacBook or iPad—and I don’t have the dreaded green bubble.

Drawbacks of Using a Standalone Apple Watch as a Dumb Phone

It’s not a perfect setup, by any means.

Like I mentioned, to set it up you have to have someone on your plan with an iPhone to be the “parent.” My wife’s phone serves that purpose. But if you don’t share a phone plan, that will be an issue for you.

I have been pleasantly surprised, however, that after the initial setup I’ve never actually needed to use my wife’s phone to manage anything. It all can be done on the watch. By the way, US Mobile customer support was super helpful, with getting things setup. Even if you’re not technical, they make it simple.

One unfortunate downside, though, is that many Apple Watch apps don’t work without a companion iPhone app. For example, I haven’t found a great solution for audiobooks yet. One app I’ve really found handy is Outcast for podcasting. It’s just a much better podcasting app if you’re only using an Apple Watch.

Battery life has probably been the biggest nuisance. But I’m using a 5-year-old Apple Watch Series 4. So, that one is mostly on me. For like $8 on Amazon, I just bought an extra watch charger I keep in the car. And this Apple Watch battery backup I can carry in my pocket on trips. And this little do-dad lives in my computer bag.

The Verdict

I’m coming up on half-a-year using my Apple Watch exclusively, and I plan to continue doing it. For me, even with the drawbacks, it’s been a great solution.

I’ve traveled all over the country with just me and my watch; on long flights listening to podcasts, long drives using just the watch’s GPS, and many other adventures. And I’ve survived just fine.

There certainly are some hassles to doing things this way. But using an Apple Watch as my phone really has broken me from the lie that I “need” my phone. And I feel so much more present and clear headed without the constant tick of feeling like I need to “check my phone” all the time.

Your weekly roundup of insights and resources to help you get more done for the glory of God.

In Today’s Issue:

• Time Management for Pastors
• High-Fructose Communication
• Encouragement for Job-Seekers
• App: Calendar, To-Do List, Habit Tracker
• "The secret to concentration is elimination"

Dear steward,

I had big plans for this week.

I finally had a lull in my schedule. No travel, no calls, nothing. I'd been looking forward to finally having a clear calendar for a week so I could finish up some big projects.

I had my deadlines all set and the perfect plan for what I would do each day of the week. I was primed and ready to dig into some serious, deep work! #Productivity

Then I threw out my back...

I've still been able to get some work done, but laying flat on my back for the past few days has meant this week didn't exactly turn out to be the productive paradise I'd been dreaming of.

I was reminded (again) of Proverbs 16:9:

The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps.

​Planning is excellent and wise, but if we genuinely believe in providence, all plans must be held with an open hand.

It's a point I often tell others, but I guess the Lord knew I was due for a more personal reminder of this important truth.

It's frustrating when our plans get scuttled. But what a comfort to know that we serve a God who is in control of all things! And when he changes our plans we can trust that His plans are always better than ours.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Dwell

Hey there! Did you set out to read the Bible this year, only to feel like it’s too late to get started now? No worries - with Dwell, it’s never too late! Dwell is the audio Bible app that makes it simple to connect with Scripture, even on busy days. Listen during your commute, morning coffee, or on a walk - whatever fits your schedule!
​
Dwell’s Bible-in-a-Year plans are flexible, with each plan taking just 10 or so minutes a day. You can be caught up in no time! Whether you’re interested in reading the Bible straight through, exploring its historical order, or focusing on key themes, Dwell has a plan for you!
​
So dive in and make God’s Word a part of your everyday rhythm in 2025! Start listening now at dwellbible.com/redeemingprod.

The Roundup

The best links & resources I found this week.

3 Time Blocks Every Pastor Should Schedule in Their Week (7 mins)​

Reagan Rose / The Focused Pastor

My latest for The Focused Pastor.

"Stagnation happens by degrees. We don’t typically fall into massive sin out of the blue, develop a weight problem overnight, or find ourselves in deep debt from just one bad money move. More often than not, our failure to be faithful in the most vital domains of life is a slow erosion. These big problems grow out of small neglect. Because when you don’t make time for growth, you are planning for decay."

​Don’t Get Addicted to High-Fructose Communication (5 mins)

Nicholas J. Weyrens / The Gospel Coalition

I'm currently reading Nicholas Carr's latest book, Superbloom, and I'm really enjoying it. This review does a good job hitting the high points and comparing Carr's arguments about communication (and especially social media) within a Christian worldview.

"At times alarming, Superbloom is a profound reminder of what’s at stake if we consume only ultraprocessed communication at the expense of real, embodied community."

​How To Press on After an Unsuccessful Season of Job Seeking (4 mins)

Russell Gehrlein / Institute for Faith, Work & Economics

Encouragement for frustrated job-seekers.

"There may be some who are looking for work (or a new job) and need a biblical perspective on how to deal with a long and disappointing job search. Perhaps it’s time to share my experiences and some scriptures that apply to these situations and offer a bit of hope and encouragement."

​Joi Planner: A Calendar, To-Do List, and Habit Tracker In One

​I stumbled across this iOS app that combines three critical productivity tools into one beautiful app.

Quote of the Week

"The secret to concentration is elimination."

Howard Hendricks

Take your productivity to the next level

Listen to the Podcast → The Redeeming Productivity Show is available on all podcast platforms and YouTube.​

Get the Book → Grab a copy of ​Redeeming Productivity: Getting More Done for the Glory of God​

Join the Academy → Get access to all of our courses, workshops, private community, planner, and more​​

Use the Planner → The all-in-one productivity system designed for Christians​​

David Kaywood is the creator of Pastors & Productivity, a newsletter designed to help pastors avoid burnout, stay healthy, and get the right things done.

Subscribe to David's substack at https://www.pastorsandproductivity.com/

Links

• Subscribe to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠.
• Join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Redeeming Productivity Academy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
• Use the ⁠Christian Productivity Planner⁠⁠

Your weekly roundup of insights and resources to help you get more done for the glory of God.

In Today’s Issue:

• Plans for the Year
• Why Don't We Read the Bible More?
• App for Limiting Distractions
• The Anti-Social Generation
• Quote: Being Listened to & Being Loved

Dear steward,

I'm still in the trenches this week, trying to finish some projects. But, Lord willing, I'll be back to writing original articles soon.

In the meantime, enjoy this week's link roundup!

P.S. I'll be in Nashville next week doing a workshop at Reformed Youth Ministries' YLT conference. If you happen to be there, please come and say hello!

The Roundup

The best links & resources I found this week.

What Are Your Plans For This Year? (2 mins)

Crook and Psalter

This is a lovely reflection on the value of simple faithfulness.

"I’m sure God has something planned for me and perhaps that’s why the monotonous description of my day-to-day does not chafe. Surely, God has something for this year. But how to find it?"

Why Don't We Read the Bible More? (7 mins)

Ava Ligh / By Faith

"The real reasons we don’t read the Bible go unexamined because we consider them unacceptable. The Bible feels boring and like a waste of time. I’ve had this confirmed by the college students to whom I minister. It’s boring for those who have grown up in Sunday School and feel they already know all the stories and key verses and that there’s nothing new to learn. It feels like a waste of time for those who find the Bible difficult to understand."

An App for Eliminating Digital Distraction

Clearspace is an interesting app that adds what the developers call "an intentionality layer" to your phone usage. This is great if you want to limit your usage of certain apps but find that you click ignore on screen time reminders.

When you open an app like, say, Facebook, Clearspace prompts you to pause for 5 seconds and breathe. It gives subtle reminders about how many times you've opened the app today. You can even set it up to "pull you out" after 5, 10, or 15 minutes.

It works on both Apple and Android phones and as a Chrome extension.

The Anti-Social Generation (30 mins)

Derek Thompson / The Atlantic

I don't normally link to paywalled articles. But if you're an Atlantic subscriber, this one is well worth the read.

"Countless books, articles, and cable-news segments have warned Americans that smartphones can negatively affect mental health and may be especially harmful to adolescents. But the fretful coverage is, if anything, restrained given how greatly these devices have changed our conscious experience."

Quote of the Week

“Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost indistinguishable.”

David W. Augsburger

Take your productivity to the next level

Listen to the Podcast → The Redeeming Productivity Show is available on all podcast platforms and YouTube.​

Get the Book → Grab a copy of ​Redeeming Productivity: Getting More Done for the Glory of God​

Join the Academy → Get access to all of our courses, workshops, private community, planner, and more​​

Use the Planner → The all-in-one productivity system designed for Christians​​

Your weekly roundup of insights and resources to help you get more done for the glory of God.

In Today’s Issue:

• Never Too Busy to Pray
• How to Read More in 2025
• Christian Podcasts, Audiobooks & Music for Kids
• Reflecting on One Year Off Social Media
• Quote: Spurgeon on Prayer as Time Management

Dear steward,

I'm in East Texas this week, speaking at the Beyond Business Summit.

Praying you enjoy a fruitful and productive week!

The Roundup

The best links & resources I found this week.

Never Too Busy to Pray (6 mins)

Scott Hubbard / Desiring God

Wow, this is convicting. But I'd encourage you not to stop at conviction but let those pangs of conscience motivate you to make a plan to prioritize prayer. Start with this keystone habit.

The idea of prioritizing prayer sounds wonderful — until prioritizing prayer means not doing something we would very much like to do. We can talk about prioritizing prayer all we want, but we don’t truly do so unless we regularly set aside second-best priorities, some of them pressing, to get alone with God.

How to Read More in 2025 (4 mins)

Thomas Kidd

Thomas weighs the idea of aiming at a daily page count and other tips for reading more. There are some good tips here and a general encouragement to plan to read more.

Here are some other reading resources I've made over the years that you might find helpful:

• Best Bible Reading Plans for 2025
• How I Read 50 Books A Year
• 8 Tips for Becoming a Better Reader

Redeem the Drive Time: Audio Resources for Families (4 mins)

Betsy Childs Howard / The Gospel Coalition

This is an excellent roundup of audio resources for kids.

Two from the list my kids listen to almost constantly are Sing the Bible by Slugs and Bugs (Spotify | Apple Music) and Rain for Roots (Spotify | Apple Music). I also found a few other groups and podcasts on this list that we'll be trying!

Something I Like

WoodsyBalmsLeather

I always carry a tiny notebook in my back pocket. But I have a problem. The cheap notebooks almost always get destroyed from me sitting on them and bending them so much. But I hate shelling out money for more expensive pocket notebooks with tougher bindings and covers every few months.

Brad Lee has solved my problem with his leather journal mini notebook. He was kind enough to send me one, and I love this thing. It looks great. And the leather cover protects my cheap notebooks. And when I need a new notebook, I can grab a 3-pack at Walmart for a few bucks, and I'm good to go.

Brad also has custom leather-bound Bibles, bookmarks, beard oil, and more.

This isn't an ad, and I'm not an affiliate or anything; I just really like his stuff. And Brad has generously offered to give my readers a 20% discount on his Etsy shop if you use the code "REAGAN" at checkout (offer ends January 24th).

What's New On Redeeming Productivity

Reflecting on One Year Off Social Media (19 mins)

It's been a year since I deleted all of my social media accounts. Here are nine lessons I've learned since leaving the platforms:

Quote of the Week

Do not be in a hurry. Make time for prayer, for this is the way to gain all the time you need.

Charles Spurgeon

Thanks for reading!

Reagan Rose

Take your productivity to the next level

Listen to the Podcast → The Redeeming Productivity Show is available on all podcast platforms and YouTube.​

Get the Book → Grab a copy of ​Redeeming Productivity: Getting More Done for the Glory of God​

Join the Academy → Get access to all of our courses, workshops, private community, planner, and more​​

Use the Planner → The all-in-one productivity system designed for Christians​​

Your weekly roundup of insights and resources to help you get more done for the glory of God.

In Today’s Issue:

• Grow Time, Goal Time, Grit Time
• Thoughts on Digital Libraries in 2025
• 5 Christ-Centered Priorities for a New Year
• Find Purpose in Mundane Work
• Quote: Called, Yet Inadequate

Dear steward,

It's always a challenge to find enough time to get everything done. No matter how hard we try, our to-do list always outstrips the time available. And this is disheartening.

One of the most helpful mental shifts I've found to combat this was changing from a list-based definition of a faithful day to a schedule-based definition. When you come up against the harsh reality that you are a finite, time-bound creature who can't possibly complete everything on your list, you have three options: Ignore the truth and keep forging ahead, give up in despair, or redefine a faithful day.

I encourage you to choose option #3.

I also recommend you still work from a to-do list, but the shift is to stop defining a successful day based on whether every item on your list gets completed (if you're like most people, your lists will almost always be unrealistic). Instead, judge your success in a day based on whether you faithfully put in a good effort with a God-glorifying attitude.

But how do you quantify a good effort? One simple way is to set and keep three appointments with yourself each day.

• Grow Time
• Goal Time
• Grit Time

In my mind, a faithful day is one in which I do my morning routine (grow time), work on my most important project for an hour or two (goal time), and dedicate 30–60 minutes to chopping away at admin tasks and email (grit time).

Admittedly, this is a relatively low bar for a successful day. But that means most days, I can actually reach it! An achievable daily schedule is one that leaves enough margin for the unscheduled, the interruptions, and the urgent. As I wrote about in The Two-Bar Strategy, most of us hold ourselves to very low standards for the long term while having impossible standards for the short term. When it should be exactly the opposite.

Why not try putting together a reasonable schedule for yourself that includes grow time, goal time, and grit time, and see what happens?

The Roundup

The best links & resources I found this week.

Thoughts on Digital Libraries in 2025 (3 mins)

Tim Challies

Fifteen years ago, Tim Challies went all in on ebooks. Today, he only has 20–30 print books in his collection. Does he have any regrets?

When I first went all-in with ebooks, reading electronically was still quite novel. Amazon’s Kindle was a relatively new device and while Logos had a more substantial track record, it still seemed risky to forgo the security of a printed commentary for an electronic one. My most substantial concerns were censorship on Amazon’s part and bankruptcy on Logos’ since either could quickly make me regret my decision.

5 Christ-Centered Priorities for a New Year (7 mins)

Marci Ferrell / The Thankful Homemaker

Marci shares some excellent, Bible-saturated advice for what to put first in the New Year.

As we step into the new year, I’ve been reflecting on how we, as believers, can keep Christ at the center of our lives in the year ahead. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the advice on productivity and goal-setting that comes our way this time of year. While planning and goals are good, our ultimate aim isn’t productivity for its own sake—it’s to glorify God in all we do.

Find Purpose in Mundane Work (5 mins)

Miranda Carls / The Gospel Coalition

Everyone wants to see purpose in the work they do. It’s why leaders aim to ensure every team member understands how their work supports larger initiatives. As Christians, we long for even more than a healthy bottom line. We desire a life that is pleasing to God and furthers the kingdom. So when we feel our work is mundane or lacks significance, we ask the question:

“Does this really matter?”

Andy Crouch / After Babel

This is a long read, but I promise it's worth the time investment. Andy Crouch, author of The Techwise Family, shows how technology interferes with moral and spiritual development in schools, churches,  and the home.

What's New On Redeeming Productivity

The Christian’s Confidence to Face a New Year (26 mins)

It's a New Year. Maybe you're feeling excited, maybe you're nervous, or maybe you're so busy you don't have time to know how you're feeling. But if you are a Christian, you can approach the New Year—with all its goals and trials—with confidence.

Quote of the Week

"When God calls us, we cannot refuse from a sense of inadequacy. Nobody is worthy of such trust"

J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership

Thanks for reading!

Reagan Rose

Take your productivity to the next level

Listen to the Podcast → The Redeeming Productivity Show is available on all podcast platforms and YouTube.​

Get the Book → Grab a copy of ​Redeeming Productivity: Getting More Done for the Glory of God​

Join the Academy → Get access to all of our courses, workshops, private community, planner, and more​​

Use the Planner → The all-in-one productivity system designed for Christians​​

Your weekly roundup of insights and resources to help you get more done for the glory of God.

In Today’s Issue:

• New Year Journaling Prompts
• 6 Soul Check Questions
• Next Year, New You
• Travel Planning App
• Quote: Spurgeon on the New Year

Dear steward,

Happy New Year!

Over the years, I've collected a list of journaling prompts that have helped me be more intentional with my life stewardship.

If you're ready to muster up the courage to take an honest look in the mirror, grab a pen and paper, and then select a few of these questions to think through prayerfully.

• “What would most glorify God in this season?”
• "What is something that has become 'normal' to me that really shouldn't be?"
• “What would I do differently in my life if I truly believed in all the promises of God?” (based partly on Edwards’ 63rd resolution).
• "What’s something I know I should be doing, but I'm not?"
• "What advice would future me give to current me?"

• Similarly: "If I were coaching me, what would I tell me to do?"
• "What is my biggest challenge right now? What is my biggest opportunity?"
• “What would I do differently if I had only 6 months to live?”
• “What do I hope will be the same 10 years from now? What do I hope will be different? What do I need to change in light of those answers?”
• “What is my greatest waste of time?”
• "What areas of life am I steward well? Which areas need improvement?"
• “What would I do with my time if money were no object?”

I'd encourage you to take a few of these prompts and write out your answers, think about them as you take a walk, or discuss them with a loved one.

It can be an uncomfortable process. But the clarity you can derive from honestly answering some of these is worth its weight in gold.

By the way, if you want more help in pursuing clarity, organization, and consistency for the glory of God in 2025, we're still offering a 7-day trial free of Redeeming Productivity Academy.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Dwell

Start your new year with Scripture using one of Dwell’s curated Bible-in-a-Year plans! Whether you want to explore the Bible chronologically, listen by genre, or dive into individual books, Dwell has a plan for you! With the Dwell app, it’s easy to weave Scripture into your routine—just grab your headphones and go!

Looking for something unique? Try the Melodic Line plan. It invites you to experience the Bible as a harmonious, cohesive story, where each book and theme flows together, creating a beautiful melody of God’s love for His creation.

Dwell fits seamlessly into your day, helping you stay on track as you pair Bible listening with morning coffee, a walk, or a cozy spot for reflection. Ready to dive deeper, click the link to explore all of Dwell’s Bible-in-a-Year plans!

Make 2025 your year to journey through the Bible!

The Roundup

The best resources I found this week.

How Healthy Is Your Soul? Six Questions for a New Year (8 mins)

Scott Hubbard / Desiring God

Speaking of good questions to ask ourselves...

"So, at the end of a new year, on the edge of another, let’s stop to take some spiritual vitals. How healthy is your soul? . . . To get started, we might focus our attention on six of the most important areas of the Christian life: our heart, our habits, our hope, our enemies, our friends, and our neighbors."

Next Year, New You (4 mins)

Rachel Jones / The Gospel Coalition

I really like this perspective. You didn't suddenly change into a new person at midnight on December 31st. Meaningful growth takes time. But you can begin making those slow changes this year that will gradually but remarkably transform you.

"The new you of 2026 starts today. The difference between a 3-year-old and a 4-year-old might be striking, but it takes a whole lot of snacks and story times to fuel the growth."

Tripsy: An All-in-One Travel Planning App

This is a really cool app for travel planning that I came across recently.

"Tripsy is an all-in-one travel planning tool that simplifies the journey from start to finish. With Tripsy, you can effortlessly organize various activities, ensuring that every moment of your trip is well-coordinated. The app allows you to create detailed itineraries, enabling you to outline your daily plans and make adjustments on the fly."

Quote of the Week

"I wish, my brothers and sisters, that during this year you may live nearer to Christ than you have ever done before. Depend upon it, it is when we think much of Christ that we think little of ourselves, little of our troubles, and little of the doubts and fears that surround us.”

Charles Spurgeon

Thanks for reading!

I am looking forward to continuing to serve you in 2025!

Reagan Rose

Take your productivity to the next level

Listen to the Podcast → The Redeeming Productivity Show is available on all podcast platforms and YouTube.​

Get the Book → Grab a copy of ​Redeeming Productivity: Getting More Done for the Glory of God​

Join the Academy → Get access to all of our courses, workshops, private community, planner, and more​​

Use the Planner → The all-in-one productivity system designed for Christians​​

Your weekly roundup of insights and resources to help you get more done for the glory of God.

In Today’s Issue:

• Puritan Note-Taking System
• Pastoral Productivity
• Parkinson's Law Is Real, So Use It
• Choosing a New Planner
• Quote: Tozer on Christians & The New Year

Dear steward,

Praying you enjoyed a very merry Christmas yesterday!

I've got some interesting resources in this week's Roundup, but before we dive in I wanted to let you know that tomorrow, I'm hosting a goal-setting workshop exclusively for our Redeeming Productivity Academy members. This event builds on what we did in the annual planning workshop a couple of weeks ago.

We'll be helping members create a 12-week goal plan and then providing accountability to help them reach those goals for the glory of God.

In past quarters, we've seen members do things like hit weight-loss goals, launch businesses, read through the entire Bible, and get consistent in new habits. It's amazing what happens when you combine intentionally God-glorifying goals with a community of accountability.

This is only for members. But we are currently offering a 7-day trial for new members. So, if you start a trial, you can come to the event and have a week to check out our brand-new course curriculum and community.

Try Redeeming Productivity Academy free for 7 days.

The Roundup

The best resources I found this week.

Genius Puritan Notetaking System (13 mins)

Matthew Everhard / YouTube

Matthew dives into Jonathan Edwards' system for keeping notes and even gives us a glimpse into how he adapted the system for his own note-taking.

Pastoral Productivity (18 mins)

Reagan Rose / The Focused Pastor

I got to sit down with Focus on the Family's The Focused Pastor to discuss time management as it applies to pastoral ministry.

Parkinson's Law: It's Real, So Use It (4 mins)

James Stanier / The Engineering Manager

James is the Director of Engineering at Shopify. And I found his thoughts on the effective use of deadlines compelling. He writes from a leadership perspective, but I've seen the same things to be true of self-imposed deadlines.

"When wielded with grace, good intentions, and knowledge of what gets humans moving and feeling good, deadlines are a powerful tool. Parkinson's Law is real, and you will need to fight it harder the larger your organization is."

What's New on Redeeming Productivity

How to Choose a Planner (5 mins)

Principles for choosing the best planner to help you manage your time and attention.

Quote of the Week

"Of all persons the Christian should be best prepared for whatever the New Year brings. He has dealt with life at its source. In Christ he has disposed of a thousand enemies that other men must face alone and unprepared. He can face his tomorrow cheerful and unafraid because yesterday he turned his feet into the ways of peace and today he lives in God. The man who has made God his dwelling place will always have a safe habitation."

A.W. Tozer

Thanks for reading!

Looking forward to continuing to serve you in 2025!

Reagan Rose

Take your productivity to the next level

Listen to the Podcast → The Redeeming Productivity Show is available on all podcast platforms and YouTube.​

Get the Book → Grab a copy of ​Redeeming Productivity: Getting More Done for the Glory of God​

Join the Academy → Get access to all of our courses, workshops, private community, planner, and more​​

Use the Planner → The all-in-one productivity system designed for Christians​​

As a New Year dawns, many productivity-minded believers begin their hunt for a new planner. We want something to help us better steward our time. But everyone is different. So, the options for planners are nearly endless. How do you decide?

I've built two planners, the digital Christian Productivity Planner and the paper Waypoints Goal Planner (coming soon). In the research process, I surveyed dozens of planning tools. And I wanted to take that knowledge and distill it down into eight tips for how to choose a planner you'll love—and actually use.

1. Get Clear on the Purpose

Before you grab the first planner you see in the T.J. Max checkout, take a moment to think about what you want your planner to do for you. Are you looking to keep track of appointments, set goals, or manage daily tasks? Understanding your primary needs will guide your choice. Planners have different purposes, so make sure you know your purpose before you choose a planner.

2. Digital or Paper?

Another decision you need to make upfront is the media for your planner. Do you like the focus of paper? Do you prefer the convenience of digital tools? Do you want a paper tool that you use with something like an iPad or reMarkable tablet?

Lean into your proclivities here. Many people have a special section of their bookshelf that serves as a graveyard for all the paper planners they purchased and used over the years. They just found they preferred digital tools, and that's okay. The key here is to choose a planner you'll actually use.

3. Layout Options

As I said, not all planners are created equal. And many planner companies offer various layout options.

• Annual planners simply focus on being a calendar for tracking appointments and to-dos throughout the year. Most people think of this when they think of a "planner."
• Quarterly planners tend to be goal-based, like the Full Focus planner.
• Weekly layouts provide a balance, allowing you to see your week at a glance while offering space for daily tasks. Like the pocket Moleskine I've carried for years.
• Daily planner layouts are ideal for those who keep detailed daily schedules or practice time blocking. Think Day-Timer, or Cal Newport's Time Block Planner.

Personally, I gravitate toward weekly planners or quarterly planners.

4. Size & Portability

If you use your planner at home or in the office, bigger is usually better as it gives you more space to work with. Capturing appointments or to-dos directly into your planner is the most effective way to ensure nothing gets forgotten. So, if you're on the go a lot, consider your planner's portability.

If you go the digital route, just make sure your app has a mobile companion.

With paper planners, you have a lot more variety in sizes. I like the pocket size because it fits in my back pocket.

5. Binding

We'll talk more about aesthetics in a moment, but here, I just want to direct your attention to the practical aspects of the binding you choose. Again, there are lots of options here:

• Spiral bound
• Ring binders
• Hardcover
• Softcover

The chief consideration here is your planner's ability to lay flat. I like the look of a classic hardcover Moleskine, but it's very annoying to have it always trying to close itself when I lay it on my desk.

buy the paper inserts.

6. Aesthetics

The more you enjoy using your planner, the more you’ll use it. And the look and feel is a big part of that. I like using the Notion app because of its design. And I enjoy writing in a pocket Moleskine planner.

If you get a sense of pleasure from using your planner tool, you're more likely to use it.

7. Extra Features

Goal-setting features, habit trackers, budget trackers, ribbons, and paper quality all matter. But be cautious here. No planner does everything well. See the first point.

8. Budget

Obviously, don't spend what you can't afford. But there is a skin-in-the-game effect regarding tools like a planner. I have a lot of bargain-bin notebooks I’ve never used, but when I splurge on quality, it makes me more likely to use the tool. Investing money so that you can better manage your time seems like good stewardship to me.

Conclusion

A new year is a new stewardship. Let's commit to using it well for the glory of our King and diligently seek out tools that can better help us redeem the time.

Your weekly roundup of insights and resources to help you get more done for the glory of God.

In Today’s Issue:

• Best Bible Reading Plans for 2025
• Notion Bible Reading Tracker
• Annual Planning Workshop Video & Workbook
• Will There Be Christmas in Heaven?

Dear steward,

This week's Roundup is a little different than usual.

Typically, I share links I've found around the web from other authors and creators. But let's just say this has been a very productive week for me. So, every resource in this week's issue is one that I've created.

I even quote myself in "the quote of the week" section to truly cap off this narcissistic edition of the Roundup :)

I hope you find them useful!

The Roundup

The best links I found created this week.

Best Bible Reading Plans for 2025 (4 mins)

I updated my post on my favorite Bible reading plans this week. There are many to choose from, organized by how much time they require each day. Each plan has PDF links.

Notion Bible Reading Tracker

I just updated the Bible reading plans in our Christian Productivity Planner. And I decided to pull out the Bible reading plan section and give it away for free.

There are five plans to choose from and instructions on how to copy the template to your Notion account.

Will There Be Christmas in Heaven? (6 mins)

Reagan Rose / The Master's Seminary Blog

This might seem like a silly question but just bear with me.

As we meditate on the blessed future the Lord has in store for us our hope should grow and we ought to feel a renewed energy to persevere in our Christian lives. But what exactly will heaven be like? And specifically, will there be Christmas in heaven?

Try Redeeming Productivity Academy Free

Please take advantage of the 7-day trial of our membership program and brand new curriculum, Waypoints to Well Done.

What's New on Redeeming Productivity

How to Prepare for a God-Honoring 2025 (42 mins)

This is the recording from our live workshop last week. Get clarity on your God-honoring priorities, organize goals around those priorities, and create a schedule so you make consistent progress.

Quote of the Week

We know it's not about the presents, the sweaters, the lights, or the nostalgia, but it takes a conscious effort to turn our minds again and again to remind ourselves this is about Jesus Christ, the incarnate God-man, who lived and was crucified and rose again that by faith men and women might be forgiven for their sins, counted righteous in God’s eyes, and granted fellowship and an inheritance with Him forever.

Reagan Rose

Thanks for reading!

Wishing you a very merry Christmas!

Reagan Rose

Take your productivity to the next level

Listen to the Podcast → The Redeeming Productivity Show is available on all podcast platforms and YouTube.​

Get the Book → Grab a copy of ​Redeeming Productivity: Getting More Done for the Glory of God​

Join the Academy → Get access to all of our courses, workshops, private community, planner, and more​​

Use the Planner → The all-in-one productivity system designed for Christians​​

https://youtu.be/vnk8qQCG1cM

Make the New Year count. Get clarity on your God-honoring priorities, organize goals around those priorities, and create a schedule so you make consistent progress.

Download Workbook⁠
⁠​Download Slides⁠
⁠​Download "Strokes Tracker" Worksheet⁠

We could all benefit from more time in the Bible.

But, if you're anything like me, you tend to bite off more than you can chew. Then February rolls around, and you're already off schedule with your reading plan.

So, to help you stay on track and plan your Bible reading for the year, here's a list of great Bible reading plans broken down by how much time they require daily.

Just click the title for each to download the PDF. Most of these are also available in YouVersion if you prefer that.

Many of these plans are available in my free Notion template.

5 MINUTES PER DAY PLANS

5x5x5 New Testament Only

Five minutes a day, five days a week, and it just goes through the New Testament.

3-Years 1 Chapter a Day

This is an easy-to-follow, 5-minute-per-day plan that will get you through the whole Bible at a slower pace, but it's easier to keep up with.

Here's a video that goes a bit deeper on the features of these 5-minute-per-day plans.

10 MINUTES PER DAY PLANS

Through the Bible in Two Years

Read through the Old and New Testaments once and Psalms and Proverbs four times over two years.

ESV Daily Bible Reading Plan

1-2 chapters a day. Nice printable layout to create a bookmark.

52-Week Plan with Theme Days

Read the Bible in a year, but each day of the week is dedicated to a different genre—Epistles, Law, history, Psalms, poetry, prophecy, or Gospels.

15+ MINUTES PER DAY PLANS

Robert Murray M'Cheyne Reading Plan

This is one of the most popular Bible-in-a-year plans. This version has no dates, just checkboxes for 365 days.

Read Five Days a Week

This plan will get you through the Bible in a year while taking weekends off.

This was the plan I've followed for the last few years. And I find it to be a lot more sustainable than 7-day-a-week plans. Here's Tim Challies explaining the benefit of using a 5-day-a-week plan.

Chronological Bible in a Year

This plan takes you through the Bible in order of the historical order of events.

Book-at-a-Time Bible Reading Plan

This is a 1-year plan that has you do about 3–4 chapters a day, but it does a little less jumping around than other plans. It also only has 25 readings per month, so you can miss a few here and there.

FLEXIBLE BIBLE READING PLANS

The No-Guilt Bible Reading Plan

This plan, created by Matthew Everhard, flips the traditional Bible reading plan on its head. Instead of following a schedule, you read in whatever order you want and mark it on the sheet afterward. The best part is you can never "get behind" on your reading because there is no set schedule to follow, but it still ensures that you are systematically working your way through the whole counsel of God.

BONUS

Bible Reading Plan Generator

Don't like any of the available options?

This is a fantastic website that allows you to generate your own printable Bible reading plan according to whatever parameters you want to set.

Tips & Encouragement

Here are a few tips to help you stick with it for the whole year:

1. Pick a plan you can stick with on your bad days
2. Build grace into your plan (either with cheat days or a plan for when you’ll make up missed days)
3. Print your plan to avoid distractions from reading on a device
4. Don’t give up if you get behind

Whatever you do, even if it's just reading a chapter a day, I'd encourage you to make some plans to read your Bible daily.

You won't regret it!

https://redeemingproductivity.com/8-ways-to-make-daily-bible-reading-a-habit/

Dear steward,

Have you ever known a believer who seems to have it all together?

They’re consistent in their devotions, seem to find purpose in their work—even in trials—and they seem able to cope with the chaos of life in a way you admire.

Meanwhile, your life seems constantly on the verge of falling apart. You read your Bible, but only in fits and spurts. And you pray before meals but otherwise don't make a sincere habit of it. You want to be organized and faithful to your commitments, but things keep falling through the cracks. You've trusted in Christ, but sometimes, you feel like you're just adrift.

That's exactly how I felt in my 20s.

I desperately wanted a close relationship with the Lord, to be faithful in fulfilling my commitments, and to have a sense of clarity and purpose to compel me forward. But it always seemed to elude me.

The frustrating thing was that I believed the right things!

I wanted the right things!

But no matter what I did, I couldn't seem to get my act together enough to consistently perform the actions I knew would help me grow in my faith, organize my life, and follow the proper habits.

It took me a long time to realize that faithful Christian living involves not only believing the right things but also acting on those beliefs.

It's a matter of taking responsibility.

One of the biggest missing elements in many Christian lives is that they have not built systems for faithfulness.

As I got closer to those the kind of believers who seemed to have it all together, I discovered a few things:

• One, they didn't have it together as much as I thought!
• Second, it was all held together by a deep faith in Christ. But it was the third thing that surprised me.
• Third, they had structure to their lives. They had clear priorities, organized systems, and consistent habits that enabled them to be the kind of steady, reliable believers that I so admired.

And I couldn't just excuse it as a personality thing, either. Sure, some people are given to be more organized, but when it comes down to it, I realized that what I was observing was simply believers who had taken responsibility for their lives. And that's something we're all called to.

If I wanted to be the kind of person God had called me to be, it meant not just believing the right things. It also meant putting those beliefs into action and taking responsibility. And that involves doing some very practical things that don't look all that spiritual from the outside.

• I clearly articulated my priorities so I could say no to distractions and yes to more important things.
• I organized my commitments and started managing my time to be a person of my word, follow through on my promises, and execute my goals.
• I also built habits that forced me to be in communion with the Lord daily, take care of this body He's entrusted to me, love my neighbors, and make progress on my God-honoring goals.

Because faithfulness doesn’t happen by accident.

It starts with taking responsibility and then availing yourself of the means God has given us to grow. The means of grace in His church and the Word, but also the common grace means of good habits and simple systems.

Is it easy?

No.

But it's possible.

And the changes the Lord has made in my life in the past 10–15 years testify to that—as well as those we've seen in lives of members in the Redeeming Productivity Academy these past three years.

So, the good news is that change is possible.

And the even better news is that God wants to help you change.

Your life doesn’t have to feel like it’s constantly spinning out of control. You can have clarity of purpose, goals you set and reach, and habits you actually stick with.

But it starts with taking responsibility.

As we approach a new year, I encourage you to take that responsibility seriously. To work in His power and under His grace, to become more faithful in the various domains He has called you to steward—a more faithful husband, wife, or child, a more faithful worker in your vocation, more faithful in your finances, more faithful in your rest and recreation.

Don't let 2025 be another year of stagnation.

Let it be the year you look back on a decade from now and say, "That was the year I got serious. That was the year I took responsibility for my growth. That was the year that changed everything."

It is my sincere hope and prayer you'll take up that call.

I created Redeeming Productivity to help believers develop the essential skills of time management and personal productivity to lead lives that most magnify Christ.

And it's why I've recently completely redesigned the curriculum of Redeeming Productivity Academy.

So, if you want more guidance and support as you seek to grow in the new year, I'd encourage you to check out the free trial of RPA and dive into our brand-new Waypoints to Well Done curriculum.

Either way, I hope to continue to serve you in some way as you pursue faithful stewardship in every area of life in 2025 and beyond.

Because faithfulness doesn't happen by accident.

Your weekly roundup of insights and resources to help you get more done for the glory of God.

In Today’s Issue:

• Christians & Resolutions
• Fix Your Analog Life First
• Unequally Yoked in Business
• Annual Planning Workshop
• The Commitment Audit

Dear steward,

We’ve only got a few spots remaining for our workshop tomorrow!

Register now to save your spot!

P.S. You may have received an email about this event yesterday that mistakenly said "tomorrow" in the title. To clarify, the event is on Friday the 13th. Apologies for the confusion!

https://redeemingproductivity.com/workshop-plan-your-2025-for-the-glory-of-god/

THE ROUNDUP

The best links I found this week

Now’s the Time To Consider a New Year’s Resolution (6 mins)

Time Challies

Tim offers some great suggestions for God-honoring resolutions. And if you want help creating a plan to actually accomplish resolutions like these, be sure to come to our free workshop tomorrow!

The Bible says nothing about New Year’s resolutions. It does, however, say a lot about resolutions in general—about the determination and resolve to improve our character, to sharpen our habits, and to live better in the future than we did in the past. In other words, the determination and resolve to be more like Christ.

Fix Your Analog Life First (5 mins)

Cal Newport / Study Hacks

I’m a big fan of Cal Newport, as you may have gathered from my rather glowing review of his latest book Slow Productivity earlier this year.

In his last newsletter, Cal shared a summary of some of the key ideas he’s known for. It’s full of great insights, but this nugget stood out to me in particular.

Fixing your relationship with digital tools requires that you fix your analog life first. It’s not enough to stop using problematic apps and devices, you must also aggressively pursue alternative activities to fill the voids this digital abstention will create: read books, join communities, develop hard hobbies, get in shape, hatch plans to transform your career for the better. Without deeper purpose, the shallow siren song of your phone will become impossible to ignore.

I know that, like myself, many of you want to become more digitally minimalistic in your daily lives. But the key is recognizing that disentangling yourself from tech’s stranglehold is less about removal and more about replacement. If you want to spend less time scrolling your phone, try carrying a book around with you instead. Replace the shallow “community” of social media, with real community by becoming more involved in your local church.

Unequally Yoked in Business? (6 mins)

Tim Cantrell / The Cripplegate

We often apply this biblical principle to marriage, but does the Bible’s instructions not to be unequally yoked also apply to business?

Christian decision-making always begins with, “What does God’s Word say about this? What will be most pleasing to my Lord?” To answer this question in relation to business partnerships, let’s ask three questions: (1) What does it mean to be unequally yoked?; (2) How does that differ with employment?; (3) Will this partnership compromise my Christian witness?

WHAT'S NEW ON

Redeeming Productivity

What to Do When You’re Completely Overwhelmed (22 mins)

Here's my step-by-step system for prioritizing your commitments so you can cut through the noise and start working on what matters most.

A DOSE OF WISDOM

Quote of the Week

"Focus is like a superpower in most knowledge work jobs. Train this ability. Protect deep work on your calendar. Support these sessions through special rituals and spaces."

Cal Newport

FINAL WORD

Thanks for reading!

That's all for this week.

Thanks so much for reading!

Reagan Rose

Take your productivity to the next level

Listen to the Podcast → The Redeeming Productivity Show is available on all podcast platforms and YouTube.​

Get the Book → Grab a copy of ​Redeeming Productivity: Getting More Done for the Glory of God​

Join the Academy → Get access to all of our courses, workshops, private community, planner, and more​​

Use the Planner → The all-in-one productivity system designed for Christians​​