Avoiding Burnout in Residency and in Ministry
by Kristin Miller, Director of Resident Development
It’s that time of year again! In ministry, the holidays can result in weariness with busy schedules and juggling expectations at home, yet, it’s the prime time in which people in the community often explore the Church and who Jesus is.
How can we best serve others and help them meet Jesus if we, ourselves, are running on empty? The reality is, we can’t!
In a recent monthly Zoom Call with Leadership Pathway Residents and Lp Coaches, we discussed the impact of replenishment and how instead of letting ministry overtake or rule over us, we can apply certain disciplines and actions that allow us to share the hope of Christ out of the overflow, not our deficit.
Cady Riemann, Multisite and Discipleship Resident at StoneBridge (Omaha, NE) talked about learning that as her workload increases with more responsibilities, she must invite others to join her in these efforts to balance out this need. She likes to use the acronym, HALT, to identify what she is feeling at the time. Is she H=hungry, A=angry, L=lonely, and T=tired? Once she knows what she’s feeling, she’s able to determine her next step.
Hayden Gregory, Student Resident atCenterPointe (Lexington, KY) shared how Fridays are his days off, and while his wife is at work and his kids are at school, he makes a point to do something different yet still productive. He’s able to accomplish something he enjoys doing like yard work.
Caleb Kliewer, Student Resident at StoneBridge (Omaha, NE) mentioned some of the conversations he’s had with his brother, who happens to be a therapist has pointed him to use the How We Feel App. Though it’s not therapy, it is free and can be a daily check-in tool to help identify what you’re feeling and what might be some helpful actions moving forward for you and with others as you navigate mental and emotional wellness.
Naturally, there are other means to replenish, but these are just some examples. What fuels you and provides you rest and rejuvenation? Is it really crashing on the couch watching hours of Netflix or gaming into the early hours of the morning? Might there be a better way to replenish and not merely numb out?
I learned a lot from these three in our time together. I have a new acronym to reference, a better way to plan my day off, and an app I’ve just downloaded to my phone.
What about you? What can you, as a church leader leading a resident, model and talk openly about with your young leader?
Other posts about mental wellness and practical steps to avoiding burnout can be found HERE
Leadership Pathway helps churches find, support, and develop the next generation of leaders through an intentional residency process that addresses all areas of a leader’s life.
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