Can you tell when you're teetering on the edge of burnout? Do you know those early warning light symptoms that let you know something is wrong and you need to take action and course correct?
If not, you're not alone! Most people don't know they're in trouble until they dread getting out of bed in the morning, or find themselve yelling at the ones they love over small things.
One I'm noticing showing up a lot right now is disengagement. This one is tricky because you have to be aware of what your normal pattern of engagement is to notice when you are disengaging. Here are a couple of examples of what that might look like:
If you are extroverted and love being around people, an early warning sign for you may be saying no to lunch with a friend or coworker that you would normally look forward to. You may feel guilty and want to go, but feel that you have too much to get done, so choose to stay at work and knock things off your list. What you're missing is the lunch might be the exact thing you need to energise you and off load some of the stress you're carrying to make your to-do list more manageable.
An introvert might come home and lay on the couch and scroll social media or binge watch a show when they would normally be talking to family and sharing about their day. What you're missing is that connecting with those that you love in meaningful ways helps you to not feel alone in your burdens and reminds you that we all need some form of connection to share the load of caring for others.
Burnout is sneaky. We don't just wake up burned out. It takes years to creep in and take hold. The good news is there are lots of opportunities to course correct, so if you see yourself in any of this, or lead others that might be struggling with this, join me next week to learn more.
It is possible to catch burnout sooner and make small adjustments to prevent further suffering. Join us a week from Thursday, September 25th @ 10:30 PST to learn what to look for and how to prevent burnout. Or if you're not able to make that one, learning about emotional intelligence is another great way to prevent burnout, so join us for that one the following month.
Burnout in Ministry: What to Look for and how to prevent it
September 25, 2025, 10:30AM PST via Zoom
This session is for clergy who are tired of pushing through and ready to understand what’s actually happening in their body, mind, and spirit.
You’ll learn: - How to identify emotional, spiritual, and physical symptoms of burnout
- Why past experiences may increase your risk
- What simple, research-based practices you can use to restore balance
Serving with Insight: Emotional Intelligence for faithful leadership
October 21, 2025, 3:00PM PST via Zoom
This session will help you: - Build self-awareness around how you respond to stress or conflict
- Understand how emotional regulation connects to spiritual maturity
- Cultivate empathy while setting healthy boundaries
You don’t need a personality transplant to be a wise, grounded leader.
You just need space to reconnect with your best self—and that’s what this hour is for.
You’ll leave with insight, clarity, and options for self-care practices that actually fit your life in ministry