Burned Out. If that's you, seek help from a trust friend or professional. You are no good to yourself, to your family, nor to the people you are called to minister to or help.
Far better to PREVENT it altogether. I call the opposite of burnout, BURN. To the question is, "to burn or not to burn."
I stumbled upon a website I found very helpful. It discusses what burnout is, how it is different than stress, etc. One set of bullet points I want to highlight here...
Burnout prevention tips
- Start the day with a relaxing ritual. Rather jumping out of bed as soon as you wake up, spend at least fifteen minutes meditating, writing in your journal, doing gentle stretches, or reading something that inspires you.
- Adopt healthy eating, exercising, and sleeping habits. When you eat right, engage in regular physical activity, and get plenty of rest, you have the energy and resilience to deal with life’s hassles and demands.
- Set boundaries. Don’t overextend yourself. Learn how to say “no” to requests on your time. If you find this difficult, remind yourself that saying “no” allows you to say “yes” to the things that you truly want to do.
- Take a daily break from technology. Set a time each day when you completely disconnect. Put away your laptop, turn off your phone, and stop checking email.
- Nourish your creative side. Creativity is a powerful antidote to burnout. Try something new, start a fun project, or resume a favorite hobby. Choose activities that have nothing to do with work.
- Learn how to manage stress. When you’re on the road to burnout, you may feel helpless. But you have a lot more control over stress than you may think. Learning how to manage stress can help you regain your balance.
Here's a link to the entire webpage: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/burnout_signs_symptoms.htm
Here's a companion webpage related for those of you who are caregivers: http://www.helpguide.org/elder/caring_for_caregivers.htm
When we are well informed about burnout, we are less likely to be overtaken by it. Take steps today to avoid your own burnout and you'll be burning... Serving Strong!
Recent Comments