Self-Care Isn't Selfish: Tips To Avoiding Burnout

I am sure you have heard the old saying, “You can’t give what you don’t have.” That saying is very true, and I am afraid pastors are some of the worst who are trying to pour from an empty cup. Self-care is vital for pastors, and it is not selfish. We are in high demand. Pastors have to be on, ready, and available 24/7 (at least, we think). We put great demands on ourselves because we assume that the demands are great from our church. They may be with some, but we are Student Pastors, not Super Pastors. We need self-care, we need rest, we need hobbies! I nearly bottomed out during the time from 2019 to 2021; I was trying to be everything to everyone, and my health deteriorated. I was the heaviest I had ever been, and I was on blood pressure medication, medication for GERD, and medication for anxiety.

Why? Poor self-care. It was bad. I don’t want you to go through it. And now that I’ve gone through it, I look back and realize there are some clear steps I should have taken to help walk through those years in a healthier way. Maybe you are where I was, and you need help. I want to share some of the things that I wanted to do and things that I had to do to be all I could be:

RE-ESTABLISH MY HOBBIES

I love to weight train. My dad got me doing it when I was 15, and I haven’t looked back, but during that time in my life, I had nearly stopped because I was working so much that I was tired all of the time, and I quit making time for things I enjoy. I love to weight train, listen to podcasts, watch wrestling and football, and walk. So, I make time for those things, making time for each of those hobbies. It gives me a mental break from the craziness. Re-establishing my hobbies has made a huge difference.

What about you? Have you dropped the ball on your hobbies? Have you neglected them?

WAKE UP EARLY

The early bird does get the worm. I usually (emphasis on usually, I am human, after all) wake up between 4 am and 5 am. That extra time allows me to spend time with Jesus and weight train. Now that I have young daughters, if I don’t get an early jump, I won’t get the things I want to get done, done. It is vital to me that I am present in their lives, so to make time for me and the things I want to do, I get them done while they are asleep. You will find that you will love getting up before the sun; there is a calmness to it.

What would it look like for you to adjust the alarm clock? Start small. Slowly work your way back on the schedule and do it more often. It’s a game-changer.

GET HEALTHIER 

I saved the hardest one for last. I had to make some changes in my lifestyle. The days of drinking 2-3 Cokes and eating everything in sight were gone. I had to lose weight and get healthier. I lost 35 pounds and have kept most of it off. I implemented intermittent fasting, cut out sugar, and got back into weight training. We can’t separate ourselves spiritually, mentally, and physically. If one is off, they are all off. I am not where I want to be, but I am a good distance away from the overweight and out-of-touch person that I was 3 years ago.

In ministry, you can’t forget you. You cannot and will not lead well on empty. You can’t pour out from an empty cup. Prioritizing self-care in my life has made all the difference. Pastors burn out all of the time. I won’t be another statistic, and I don’t want you to be either. Let’s commit to being healthier and avoiding burnout.

Share your thoughts with others in our YM360 community:

1. What do you do to prioritize self-care? What’s one thing from the article you can consider to help?
2. How do you handle people who think you should always be available?