Avoiding Burnout – A High Achievers Sickness

According to Sherrie Bourg Carter’s article in Psychology Today, high achievers are more prone to burnout because of their, “I can do everything” personalities.

She states the reason , “Because high-achievers are often so passionate about what they do, they tend to ignore the fact that they’re working exceptionally long hours, taking on exceedingly heavy workloads, and putting enormous pressure on themselves to excel—all of which make them ripe for burnout.”

What is burnout and how can we avoid it?

Avoiding burnout means not to do more than we can mentally & physically cope with. If signs like anxiety and stress are present then that’s a good indicator that we need to slow down and get help as burnout could be just around the corner.

Archibald Hart describes burnout as, “A body system exhausted by overwork, pushed beyond reasonable endurance, and depleted of resources could become burned out.  But burnout can also be reached by roads quite different from those of stress and depression.”

He goes onto say that symptoms of extreme states of burnout  will comprise of most, if not all of the following:

Demoralisation — the belief you are no longer effective as a pastor.

Depersonalisation — treating yourself and others in an impersonal way.

Detachment — a withdrawing from all responsibilities.

Distancing — an avoidance of social and interpersonal contacts.

Defeatism — a feeling of being beaten and a giving up of any hope of being able to avoid defeat.

Even though burnout can be quite disabling, there is hope for recovery according to Archibald Hart.

Recovering from Burnout

“As in the treatment of all diseases, the cure begins with acknowledging the problem. Burnout should never be seen as a sign of failure. Sometimes burnout is God’s plan for your life. It is the only way He can get your attention.

Burnout is an important protective system — a warning signal telling us that we have lost control of our lives. Do not fear the cure for burnout. If anything, give yourself permission to experience it — recognising that it is protecting you from a far worse fate.

Pray for the wisdom and courage to align your life with God’s purpose and plan. Heeding the warning signals of your system’s disintegration is only the first step. Determinately following the remedy will require much patience and perseverance. (See Twelve Steps Toward Recovering From Burnout.)

The cost of burnout can be high for both the pastor and church. Recovery is not without its price. All those involved in the life of the pastor — family, parishioner, and friends — will be affected by his or her burnout. Sadly, many burnout victims go unrecognised and, therefore, unhelped. This often leads to drug or alcohol abuse (often secretive), or to isolation depression that will eat into the psyche of the sufferer like a cancer. The Spirit of God may not find an eager and effective response from the hearts of these burnout victims. Prayer will seem like a nightmare; the Scriptures will sound hollow and even the thought of fellowship will evoke feelings of panic. What is even more unfortunate is that many will not even acknowledge they could have such a problem. They will deny it, refuse to accept it, even blame others or circumstances for it, but not take the first step toward being honest with themselves and admitting they are in a state of burnout….”

Seek the help of a professional counsellor for burnout.  It doesn’t just affect pastors.  All high demand jobs can cause burnout if one isn’t careful. Know your limits before burnout occurs.

Sources:

Enrichment Journal – Archibald Hart – Depressed, Stressed and Burnt out.

Psychology Today: Sherry Burg Carter – The Tell Tale Signs of Burnout … Do You Have Them?