Burnout

July 24, 2006

This past Thursday we spent an hour discussing burnout and some strategies to help avoid or at least cut down on burnout. Rather than bring in an “expert” to share, we all delved into our experiences and knowledge to arrive at some pretty solid suggestions.

First of all, we need to take time to withdraw and reexamine the core of who we are. When we get wrapped up in our activities, career and responsibilities, it’s easy to lose track of who we really are and where we’re really going. It’s essential to step back, examine those questions and discover if we’re living in accordance to the answers of those questions.

Secondly, we need to recognize that our identity doesn’t come from our job or occupation. We need to find meaning and purpose in the work that God has called us to do rather than focusing solely on our 40-hour work weeks. Many of us are unable to live out our passions and visions through our job, so we must be intentional with the rest of our time to bring about those visions or live out those passions.

Unfortunately we live in a society that respects burnout; if you’re not working hard enough to be burnt out, then something’s wrong! We need to be able to rest and find time to relax even in the midst of our chaos. The time when we can least afford to take a break is probably the best time to do so.

We’re looking forward to this week’s discussion. We’re going to be talking about The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Come prepared with your team horror or victory stories! See you Thursday!

Posted in Recap