(Editor's note: In an earlier column, H. Dale Burke described how he apportions his time into four categories: rest, results, response, and refocus. By doing this he keeps his work on track and his spiritual life in balance. In this column, Dale explores the critical distinction between results time and response time.)

When I was in my first church, a young plant with no office, and I had three small kids at home, I'd go to a restaurant, sit in a corner booth and get to work. I got more done than you can imagine because I wasn't surrounded by distractions and unfinished business. Yes, there was noise in the room, but none of that noise had to do with me. I could tune it out, get creative, and get it done.

That corner booth was my "results place." There I discovered the value in reserving time for specific types of work. I set aside large chunks of uninterrupted time for rest, results, response, and refocus. Doing this, I can better keep other people's not-so-urgent problems from becoming ...