Avoid burnout by practicing these 5 simple soul-care secrets! We have a tendency, in this culture, to wear busy like a badge of honor, but it isn’t an honor.  Busy is mean.  Consistent, unchecked, busy, will consume you from the inside out and while the degree of damage can vary from person to person, the result is the same: burnout.  The best way to avoid burnout is to tend your soul.

 

A number of years ago, as my family was packing the car to head away on vacation, I shared with my husband (Ryan), how badly I thought we needed this time away.  I was really looking forward to getting out of Dodge so we could get out from under the weight of all the pressure.  He looked at me funny and questioned me. “What are you talking about?”  I realized after a bit of conversation that we weren’t in the same emotional space. We all needed to get away, but I realized I was desperate.

 

This was the beginning of some new thoughts for me.  I began to understand that though married, Ryan and I are uniquely different, and I definitely handle things differently. The former methods of controlling busy were not working and it was time for change.  Here 5 secrets I’ve learned of how to avoid burnout.

 

Secret #1: Avoid Burnout as You Live out of Your True Identity

 

Okay, straight up, you will hear a lot of talk coming from me regarding the topic of identity.  It is a key ingredient to healthy living.  Understand that busy is real and although there is no real way to completely avoid it, you do have some choices. When you know who you are, it is much easier to decide what you will do.

 

Sounds pretty simple, right?  Well, understanding truth is one thing, practicing it is another whole ball of wax!  I grew up in Christian home, went to Bible College, and have spent my entire adult life pressing into leadership development and spiritual growth, but for a long time I was trapped in the place of trying to perform the way other people wanted me to perform.

 

There are some great tools out there to help you figure some of this out.  I have found that a good personality test, like Myers-Briggs, is very helpful.  Understanding your gift mix, both natural and spiritual, can establish a great foundation. Work out of your strengths because that’s what you are meant to do. Dig in and ask God to help you understand and embrace who you are.

 

Listen, I know that might feel vague.  I want to tell you that as you dig in, there will be some work to do.  As you learn the inner workings of your whole being, there is an unearthing of certain things, which can be hard.  But, hard is still totally doable, and I’m here to tell you that if you want to avoid burnout, do not give up on yourself.

 

God’s sole goal is to restore you, but you have to willingly participate.  You have to tune into the sound of his voice and learn to recognize the difference between truth and lies.

 

 

 

 

 Secret #2:  Avoid Burnout as You Live in Rhythms

 

Rhythm is my favorite word to describe the movement of life.  I can’t remember when we started using this word, but it has really helped lift the pressure of feeling like everything needs to be ‘balanced.”  Actually, my husband really hates the word balance and refuses to use it anymore. .  Balance feels like everything needs to be equal, and quite frankly, there are seasons when everything can’t be equal.  So we settled into rhythms which gave us permission to adjust as we go.

 

Learning to live in the rhythms has made it easier for my soul.  I try to keep my commitments in full view where it’s easy to see what’s going on and I employ lists.  When I look at the calendar and see that there are several busy weeks, I adjust on the front end and on the back.  Any time you add another commitment or task you have to account the time.  If you are walking into a busy season, you can avoid burnout by being present and focused. Simplify and streamline what you can and whatever you do, don’t add more.  When the busy season is over, build in time for extra rest to replenish.  This is a rhythm.

 

Establishing good healthy rhythms is not really that hard, it just takes intentionality.  When you live in the rhythms you find a recurring pattern, which creates a steady groove.  There is nothing wrong with finding a groove as long as you don’t dig a rut and lay down.  So much of this goes back to identity.  When you know who you are, a confident child of God, leaning into the rhythm begins to feel like riding a wave.  Let it carry you and do the heavy lifting.

 

 

 

 

Secret #3: Avoid Burnout by Establishing Your Boundaries

 

Establishing boundaries is one of the most important things I’ve learned how to do.  I don’t claim to have this one perfected, but as I look at my own boundaries or lack thereof I recognize how I can actually set myself up for burnout.  You have to learn how to say no.  You don’t have to be cruel, but you need to be firm.

 

Saying yes to avoid conflict is no way to live, but saying yes because you are afraid is no better. Living in other people’s requests and demands makes for a bone weary busy and opens the way for resentment and bitterness.If you want to avoid burnout then repeat after me….NOOOOO!

 

Again, know who you are and respect yourself.  This can be difficult when we look at scripture passages which teach about loving others, serving others, and helping others.  I have wrestled with this as well.  The truth of the matter is that if I don’t know how to set boundaries and respect other people’s boundaries I will eventually make myself sick.

 

Boundary violations are one the biggest contributing factors to relationship issues.  When you live in conflict with the people around you it makes for a volatile environment.  We were made for love, so living in constant tension will take you dark places. Setting boundaries is actually one of the most loving things you can do for yourself and for the people around you.  Building boundaries according to identity and within healthy rhythms helps you to avoid burnout.

 

 

 

 

Secret #4: Avoid Burnout by Checking Your Baggage

 

You have to let go of the stuff you carry around with you.  Lay down your burdens and let Jesus do the heavy lifting. You avoid burnout when you let go of all the extra baggage.   My favorite saying is: “Not my circus, not my monkey!”  Not sure where I first heard it, but it resonated with my heart.  It is an old Polish Proverb which means, “Not my problem.”

 

15 years ago, Ryan and I flew out to Western Canada to interview for a Pastoral Position. It was a direct flight so you can imagine our surprise when we arrived and our luggage did not.  It was an awkward 24 hours as we made the rounds with borrowed clothing from the host family we stayed with.  After that experience we purchased carry-on luggage and anytime we had to fly we opted to take our luggage with us.

 

 

 

 

Well, here’s the problem with that.  Every piece of luggage you have to cart around weighs you down.  Not only that, in the context of air travel, you now have to manipulate and control your baggage to get through security.  Let me tell you something, all your careful planning doesn’t guarantee anything, because sometimes there’s no overhead storage left, so they have to check your bag anyway.  My advice: check your bags.

 

Fear is a strong motivator.  It comes in like a bully and lies through its teeth.  Fear has a way of convincing us that we need to carry the bags with us.  But Jesus speaks directly to that lie with a word of comfort and promise.

 

 

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Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you.  Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you light.”   Matthew 11:28-30

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Secret #5: Avoid Burnout As You Rest Regularly

Rest is the answer for burnout, so imagine how powerful it can be when employed in regular intervals. Regular rhythms of rest is the offensive strategy you need to avoid burnout. I know, it sure sounds simple enough, but this culture does not know how to rest.  We continue to find new ways to be productive every day.

 

God created a full day of rest in his seven-day rhythm.  On that seventh day, God, of the Heavens and the Earth, rested.  Go ahead and let that sink in for a minute.

 

God rests…

 

Rest can certainly look different for you than it does for me.  Look at who you are because that will help you determine how you need to rest.  You need sleep, but if you put head to pillow and your mind amps up, this is not rest.  Find out how you turn it off and do it.

 

I’ve had two traumatic events in my life over the last three years and living through the aftermath has demonstrated a real need for rest.  Six months after my father passed away, I began to experience a deep fatigue.  I was concerned that I might be dealing with adrenal fatigue, but the doctor I worked for helped me understand that it was actually mental fatigue.

 

“You need to rest!”  She was serious and firm, instructing me to literally take a nap on my break, and instructions to go home and rest some more.  She cautioned me that mental fatigue takes a long time to heal so rest was not something to take lightly.  It took me more than a year to recover.

 

Ryan was diagnosed with Cancer just over a year ago.  I took the lessons I learned regarding rest and employed them from the onset.  This has been difficult season, but rest has made a difference.

 

 

 

 

Avoid Burnout: Taking Stock and Check Your Heart Regularly

 

So how are you doing?  If you had to give an honest assessment of how your soul is doing, where do you rate?

 

Let me just encourage you.  The fact that you read this all the way through should be an indication that you care about your personal state of being.  This is good.  Take time to regularly do a soul-care checkup, because busy can sneak in and take over in the blink of an eye.  The more aware you become, the quicker you will catch on.  You will learn to take lessons learned and apply them from the front end for smoother passage.

 

 

 

 

Let me leave you with this.  Psalm 23 has become, for me, a sweet place to be over the last year.  This ancient song has taken me to newer, deeper levels of communion with the LORD as I have pressed in for his promise of presence.

 

If you feel so inclined, go grab your Bible and get to a quiet space and place.  Open the word and read the words of King David as he speaks of God’s deep love and care for his beloved.  Move beyond the familiarity of the passage and let yourself enter into the story with the LORD.

As you meet with the LORD in his word, let go of all the stuff and lean into him.