Burnout in Your Ministry: Recognize the Signs

It isn’t a question of if your staff is experiencing burnout, but how many of them are already burnt out.


Most people don’t even know it. They think they don’t have time to look closely and deal with it; they ignore warning signs, writing them off as “stress.” So how do we recognize it? And more importantly, how do we help?


Here are just some of the warning signs of burnout:

  1. Being overly emotional.  This includes a rollercoaster of emotions: ups and downs. Crying and screaming for the littlest of offenses or getting so angry you punch a hole in the wall.

  2. Difficulty concentrating or remembering.  It’s brain fog on another level. Things like forgetting entire conversations or repeatedly missing important appointments.

  3. Loss of joy. Classic depression where nothing and no one is appealing. Things you usually love have no appeal and everything seems to be an uphill climb you simply don’t have the energy for.

  4. Escape into vices.  Addiction to all the big, bad things, yes, but also addictions that seem innocent
    on the surface but are slowly taking over. Think eating, binge-watching, or a new hobby that has become your whole world.

  5. Exhaustion. Mentally, physically, and emotionally. Whole body, can’t even think about getting out of bed, tired.

If you can identify with at least a few symptoms in that list, there’s a good chance you’re dealing with some degree of burnout. If that list of warning signs is foreign to you, read it again and then look around. It’s likely at least one person in your life or on your team veering dangerously close to the edge and could use a lifeline.  In part two of this series, we’ll talk about some common causes of burnout and deep-dive into three toxic habits that contribute to this downward spiral.

 

Is managing your ministry’s HR burning you out? Get the help you need. Let’s talk about HR On Call.

 

Authored by the HRMS Team, a group of dedicated ministry HR experts who draw from extensive ministry experience to keep your organization compliant and healthy. Schedule a call and find out how we can help you simplify your organization’s HR here.

 
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