Sketch it First

I love creating images and presentations in PowerPoint, but it can be incredibly helpful to sketch it first. Get an idea of what you want your presentation to look like with a few simple pen-strokes rather than opening up the photo editing software right away. I use my Moleskine Ruled Notebook Large (affiliate link*) for most of my sermon planning and sketching. It's just about the same size as my bible and the elastic band allows me to tuck a pen in with it. I can take this with me anywhere and work on sermon preparation.

When I sit down with the computer I can get distracted pretty easily. I can jump from image to image without any real direction or purpose. When I have my bible and notebook open though, I can focus on the task at hand. Just so you know, my sketches aren't pretty, usually they are stick-figures, but it gives me an idea of what I'm wanting to do.

*If you purchase through this link I will earn a small commission from the purchase.