Burnout prevention plan

It hit me out of nowhere while on my way to church one Sunday—a rare Sunday when I was not serving in any particular way. No obligations. No expectations other than the joy that comes with being able to worship and fellowship with other believers. As I sat on the subway, halfway through the journey, my heart began to race as a shadow of dread overcame me. I panicked and jumped off at the next stop. It would be a full twenty minutes before I resumed the journey. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

In hindsight, all the symptoms were there—physical and mental tiredness, inability to concentrate, lack of motivation, and the numbness that comes with feeling stuck but not knowing why. I should have seen it coming, but I was blind, blind because I never thought it would be me. In fact, I had built a reputation of it not ever being me. I took pride in my high work ethic and self-awareness, which I thought brought an understanding of my capacity and my limits. I foolishly believed that I was not at risk of burnout until it happened.

Fortunately for me, I would recover. I had support. I also had a plan.

Real communication

Recovery began with a single conversation, a conversation with a leader who was listening. Really listening. He sought real understanding of how I got to where I was and the ministry’s responsibility in that. These kinds of conversations are difficult, and we often hesitate to have them due to shame and guilt. We do not want to appear weak; however, our greatest strength lies in the humility it takes to ask for help, to admit that we are not invincible.

But it isn’t just about communication with a leader. It has to be more than that. It is understanding our support networks or lack of them. Depending on the nature of the ministries with which we have been entrusted, the missionary life can be lonely. Really lonely. But it doesn’t have to be that way, not with the member care offered by our organisations and churches and family and friends standing beside us in prayer. We need real friends who speak truth into our lives, whether they be across the street or the world.

Appropriate rest

We are all aware that burnout is not just mental. It is also physical, emotional, and, in some cases, spiritual. We need to look after ourselves in each of these areas. Our lives require a sustainable rhythm and healthy resilience. Where this begins is understanding our body’s needs, particularly when it comes to relaxation, rest, and refreshment.

Passion for ministry

What gets us out of bed in the morning? What excites us? Why does God have us here in this time and place? We must always keep our passion for ministry and our love for Japan and her people in the foreground. As a coach, one of the most common but crucial questions I ask is “What makes this important to you?” It’s a question that speaks directly to the heart of why we are here, why we serve, and what our values and priorities are. It is vital that we answer this question and to do so with complete honesty.

Managing expectations

Once we understand our priorities and the values on which they are based, we are able to make appropriate decisions on what a healthy workload looks like for us. And it will look different for each of us. I am still the same person I was before burnout. I still put in the hours, strive to give one hundred percent, and challenge myself, but I also know what that looks like for me and that it may look very different for someone else. This kind of self-awareness allows us to communicate clearly and with conviction what we are able and unable to do. It also enables us to listen well to our supervisors, especially when collaboration and mutual exchange are needed as we work and serve together to bear gospel fruit.

We all feel the importance and urgency of the task that is ours—taking the gospel to those who have not yet heard it, discipling those who have. It can feel overwhelming at times. But it doesn’t need to be. God’s Word instructs us to come to God as the provider of all that we need to do all that he asks. We will not be immune to burnout, but we certainly can do everything possible to steward our bodies and lives for God’s glory in order to prevent it.