The most emotionally demanding aspect of a work situation is its lack of existential significance. People need meaning in their lives, and the failure to find such meaning will cause burnout. It is not objective failure per se that causes burnout but rather the feeling that one’s efforts are insignificant and meaningless. Similarly, it is not objective success per se that prevents burnout but rather subjective experience of doing something meaningful. - Wilmar B Schaufeli, Christina Maslach and Tadeusz Marek
Keys to Avoid Burnout
- Avoid being the person who always handles the tough jobs
- Limit the number of hours you work
- Take vacation, and make sure your staff does too
- Promote a team approach - D.L. Sammons
- Some of the results of long hours and hectic schedules that most minister choose to follow are: colitis, diverticulitis, migraine, chest pain, high blood pressure, and health disease. One factor in pastoral abuse of time is that the pastor feels that since he is working for God he should be able to do more than other humans. –J. L. Johnson
