Just Plain Tired of Being Burned Out?

I realize the MOPS season has just got under way, but I wanted to remind you all of something very important--your health! Wether that be physical, emotional, or spiritual, we all need to take time to refresh, rejuvenate, and replenish ourselves. The article below, by Liz Selzer, has some great tips! 

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“I’m just tired.”

This phrase is being uttered with more and more regularity. Why are leaders so often fatigued, tired and rundown? Leaders often fall prey to the “busier is better” ideology of the American culture. But what is the basis for our feeling that we always have to be busy and productive? Why is it difficult for us to just sit without multi-tasking? Why are we in a posture guaranteed to push us toward burnout?

The problem is that once we have reached the point of being burned out, there is little we can do but quit what we are doing and recuperate. This may come at a time when others are depending on us. What makes more sense is to proactively avoid the point of burnout in the first place.

8 helpful hints to proactively avoid burnout:

Prioritize what fills you up–Before you write down your obligations for the week and schedule yourself into gridlock, schedule time for activities which refuel you. You can then schedule other activities around these. Do not view these refueling activities as “free time” because then you may view them as expendable. Your ability to refuel will directly affect your ability to keep going.

Discover and eliminate your time wasters–Is it too much television, or repeated trips to the store because of lack of planning? Identifying and cutting these time wasters out of your life will give you more time for the things you want to do.

Reduce the temptation to be a fixer–Not everything needs to be fixed right now or by you. In most cases it is important to allow others to fix their own messes–it helps them grow. Not everything is an emergency either. Prioritize your obligations and work on the most critical obligation first. It is okay for some things to wait.

Protect your productive time–save your best time for things that require you to be fresh and creative. Are you a morning person or are you most productive in the evenings? Use your productive time for the things that require the most energy and thought.

Learn to just say ‘no’–you do not have to give a lengthy explanation as to why you cannot do something. Just say, I’m sorry but I cannot do that at this time (better yet, don’t start with the apology). Too often our inability to say “no” stems more from our need for approval and to be liked than our genuine desire to do what is being asked. Saying “no” is about prioritizing the 24 hours of each day that we are given. This prioritization is based on what we know of our gifts and abilities, and what other demands we have on our time.

Eliminate hurry from your life–Hurrying does not save us the time we think that it does, and the stress it puts on our physical well being is just not worth it. Force yourself to slow down. Plan to reach your destination 5 minutes before you need to, stay in the slow lane as you drive (yes- without tailgating the person in front of you), shun the temptation to do just one more thing before you go to an appointment.

Rebuke the myth that busyness makes you important–Having a lot to do does not make you important; having significant things to do well is what gives satisfaction. Significance of your actions is measured on God’s ruler, not based on the views of your family, friends or boss--you get the picture.

Don’t allow the phone (door, or other ways people try to contact you) derail you–If you are in the middle of something, you don’t have to answer the phone or door. Most things can wait an hour or so for your attention. Constant interruptions keep you from being as productive.

In the end, avoiding burnout is not an issue of time, or the demands of others, it is an issue of choice. Making the choice to be proactive is critical and keeps us from being a “burnout waiting to happen.”


Liz Selzer is the Director of Leadership Development at MOPS International.