Expand Your Impact for May

If you cannot see images, please [click here]( [Shop CTA Products]( [Shop CTA Products]( [Women'sMinistry]( [Men'sMinistry]( [Children'sMinistry]( [GeneralMinistry]( [CTAAdvantage]( May 2021 [Burnout: The 5 Questions You Should Ask Yourself]( By Alison Zeller How do you define burnout? The master of definitions, the Merriam-Webster [dictionary]( says burnout is “the cessation of operation usually of a jet or rocket engine.” No, church workers are not rockets, but that “cessation of operation” is completely relevant if you’re experiencing burnout. Going beyond the basic dictionary, one [researcher]( commented ... [Read More]( [Shop]( tips & trends 5 Ways to Step Back from Burnout This Summer As your ministry schedule slows down this summer, resist the urge to go into planning-overload mode. Instead, devote six weeks to taking care of yourself and refreshing your spirit—two important ways to step back from the edge of burnout. This definitely means catching up on rest and being in God’s Word daily, but you’ll have much more success in preventing burnout if you set up some specific strategies. Instead of aimlessly planning to “relax,” consider a different approach from productivity expert and author Laura Vanderkam. "Other kinds of work—be it exercise, a creative hobby, hands-on parenting, or volunteering—will do more to preserve your zest for Monday's challenges than complete vegetation or working through the weekend," she [writes](. “Spending energy on the weekends actually leaves you with more zest on Monday.” Obviously, she is referring to the weekends here, but the same concept applies to a summer break. Think about what is causing you to burn out and how you can actively remedy it. I don’t have time for self-care. Approach this issue from the mindset that you must take care of yourself before you take care of anybody else. You cannot keep running on empty! One suggestion is to block out time for sleep, family, exercise, eating, and so on. Then, honor these “appointments” like you would any other job-related appointment. Use your pen-and-paper calendar or an electronic one—whatever way you do it, hold yourself accountable. You wouldn’t flake on Mrs. Jones’s nursing home visit, so don’t flake on yourself! I have too much on my plate. If you’re overwhelmed with your ministry duties, find help. It’s not easy, but you have to lessen your load before you reach total burnout. Meet with your ministry team, volunteers, board members, and anyone else you think could help. Have an honest conversation about your current workload and the limits you need to set. Adjust ministry goals and delegate, as needed. I’m not myself anymore. Every churchworker has interests beyond ministry. Few people take the time to actively pursue these interests, but doing so may help you avoid burnout. Get back to what makes you excited and motivated. Take a cooking class. Join a wilderness club. Volunteer at the art museum. God feels distant. Don’t give your feelings power over your faith. God has promised that he will always be with you—whether you “feel” him or not. Jesus’ forgiveness and comfort are always there—even when you’re teetering on the edge of burnout. Run to him! If quietly reading the Bible or praying in silent isn’t calming your spirit, try something more active. Make a list of things that drain you or upset you. Post the list in a few places and pray continually about those things. Or, take the list and rip it up. Remind yourself that you don’t have to worry about it—God’s got this! I feel alone—nobody understands what I’m going through. You’re right. Your spouse and your friends probably don’t understand exactly what you’re going through. Do you know other churchworkers or pastors who might understand? Maybe they have gone through burnout themselves. Seek out these people and learn from them. Make a standing coffee date this summer, and if it’s helpful, continue it into the new year of ministry—no matter how busy you get. You are welcome to copy this article for one-time use when you include this credit line and receive no monetary benefit from it: © 2021 CTA, Inc. Used with permission. The external links included in this article are provided for informational purposes only. CTA makes every effort to ensure the information included in these links is accurate and relevant; however, CTA cannot guarantee the content, nor does CTA endorse any of the products or services offered on the external sites. bonus And now for a little something extra. . . From articles to devotions to activity ideas and how-to lists, CTA Blog has useful resources to help you and your ministry. 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