Every week, I talk to someone who is overwhelmed, tired and/or exhausted.
As a parent of teenagers, I feel this.
I was talking with some pastors the other day, and the topics of burnout, being too busy, and doing too much came up. This is a common thread among people, no matter what they do.
Here are some of the things they asked:
- How do you know if you are close?
- Are there warning signs that you are getting too busy?
- How do you know that your busyness is not just a season but becoming a way of life? We always just say it’s a season, and soon, we will slow down.
I know there are warning signs in my life when I am doing too much or taking on too much. Sometimes, I adhere to them and make changes, but other times, I bulldoze through and pay the price.
Here are some warning signs to be aware of:
What usually is easy is now challenging. This is one of the first things that happens.
It centers on preaching, sermon prep, and reading leadership books. Whenever I feel unmotivated in one or all of these areas, I know I am past the point of running too fast. To combat this, I take periodic breaks from preaching (I try not to preach more than 6-8 weeks in a row), and I work on books that have nothing to do with sermon prep or church ministry to give my brain a break.
I am usually very decisive, but I know something is off when I have difficulty deciding what to eat or watch on Netflix.
Sleep is hard to come by. For many Americans, sleep is challenging and something we do less and less.
We go to bed too late, we don’t take enough naps, we spend too much time on technology, and get worked up. I try to get to bed by 10:30; I do my best not to look at social media after 8 pm so that my brain can take a break. This is especially important as it relates to work email and the news. Studies show how smartphone use after 9 pm can harm sleep and productivity. If you must take sleeping pills, watch TV to fall asleep, or find yourself going to bed at midnight or staring at the clock at midnight, you need to work on your sleep.
It is hard to get going in the morning. Some people are morning people and can’t wait to get going; others are not. I’m not a morning person. But, when I find myself having a hard time getting going in the morning, needing multiple cups of coffee to stay awake or to focus, that’s a warning sign. Think about this morning; how hard was it to get out of bed? The harder it was, the closer you were to burning out.
Motivation is hard to come by. You are indeed more motivated and alert at specific times of the day. For me, it is the first thing in the morning, so I reserve that for sermon prep and not meetings. It is when I am most creative and need to give that mental time to the most critical part of my job: preaching. When I find that motivation is not there, I know I have a problem.
You get angry fast. When you are tired, you tend to get angry fast. Your fuse is shorter with those closest to you: family, friends, and coworkers.
You use things to calm down. When we use something to calm you down, help you relax, help you sleep, or “take the edge off,” we have a problem. If you think, “I just need ____ to calm down or feel better,” that is a warning sign.
You don’t laugh as much or have fun. This is connected to what we’ve already said, but if you can’t remember the last time you laughed and had fun, that’s a problem. When you are tired, the last thing you have energy for is fun or community.
You have pulled back from community. When you are tired, especially as an introvert, the last thing you want is to be around people. Ironically, one of the things that can be the most helpful to ward off burnout and help you break unhealthy patterns is community, being around people who care about you.
