“I’m tired,”
“I’m fatigued,”
“I’m worn out,”
“I’m overwhelmed.”
I’ve heard many express similar feelings over the past six-months as our society continues to transition in so many ways. People have had to adapt their rhythms of life to rapid and often uncomfortable change. Stress levels have been elevated, uncertainty deeply felt, isolation increased, and the list goes on. In fact, exhaustion “is one of the most common complaints that brings patients to see their clinician.”
As a pastor, who has worked in many areas of the workplace throughout my life (hospitality, higher education, food industry, finance, and more), I’ve seen how the pressures of life in various contexts can adversely affect people. According to recent research, fatigue and burnout can have numerous negative influences on our lives such as:
- our cognitive ability (short-term memory, psycho-motor abilities, and visual discrimination);
- emotional exhaustion, characterized by emotional depletion and loss of energy;
- depersonalization or cynicism, also described as dehumanization, detachment from work and [people] and emotional hardening;
- reduced personal accomplishment or inefficacy, that is, a feeling of personal or professional inadequacy as well as reduced productivity and coping skills;
- increased alcohol consumption, sleep disorders, depression, sedentarism, obesity, and more.
Exhaustion is real and it impacts every aspect of our life. At Wellspring, we have a mission, “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” Part of our disciple making is learning healthy rhythms of life and ways to sustain the vitality of following Jesus. Jesus said that he came to give us abundant life and far too often we settle for less than that wonderful gift. We should strive to experience God’s amazing transformation in the whole of our lives including mind, body, and spirit. One way we can do this is through self-care.
Self-care is the intentional striving for health in one’s physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being. I learned the importance of self-care in my own life while attending seminary. At the height of my busyness while taking classes, I was working full-time, a graduate assistant in my seminary’s Theology Department, had an internship in a church, preparing for the adoption of our twin daughters, fathering my eldest daughter, and my marriage. It was during this time I had to learn that self-care isn’t just a coined word. Determining priorities in my life and setting boundaries in order to pursue health was key to walking through that season and coming out the other side with an intact marriage and family, a good education, and success in my work.
I’d like to encourage you to take the necessary steps of self-care and I bet you’ll find that many other areas of your life will become enriched as a result. Here are several easy ways of practicing self-care:
- Prayer and Meditation: Meditative prayer can help build resilience while managing anxiety and worry in your life. It creates space to be intentionally aware of and listen to God.
- Eat healthy: Believe it or not, there is a strong connection between food and one’s mood. Dieting can have benefits, but eating healthy as a ‘way of life’ has a much greater and significant impact on your well-being.
- Learn to say ‘no’: You only have 24-hours in a day and when you say ‘yes’ to something, you automatically say ‘no’ to other things. A healthy ‘no’ allows you to have a more impactful ‘yes’ in your life. If you’re wanting to dig into what it means to set priorities in our life, I’d encourage you to check out our Navigate series.
- Make time for your community: I’ve seen it happen many times. People get busy and the first thing that goes is their community (small group, church attendance, etc.). Research shows a strong correlation between attending worship, lower stress, and greater overall health. Stay connected!!
- Take a break from social media: Social media is like junk food for the brain. It can also lead to increased anxiety, addiction, depression, even jealousy! Step away and breathe!
- Go for a walk/exercise: Get out of the house and take in the sights. Moving, working out, taking in nature, has a significant impact on your well-being.
- Sleep: A good night’s sleep is important and often one of the first areas to feel the effects of stress and anxiety in our life. There are several things we can do to help get better sleep.
- Have fun!: Take in a good book, laugh with friends, go out to the movies, throw a ball with your dog, or whatever else you might find rejuvenating. The health benefits of making proper time for fun is incredible.