Leadership: Balance or Burnout?

As a leader, it can be difficult to balance life: family, friends, work, church services, and volunteering. I learned the hard way that I am personally a workaholic - this is how I eventually came to Christ. But even after I became a believer, I still had to deal with my workaholic tendency when it comes to service in the church. I want to explore three key lessons I have learned to prevent burnout and improve my life balance as a leader.

First, let’s examine three diagrams that demonstrate how we get into a burnout situation:

So, what are we to do as leaders to find more time to get more done?

Never Serve Alone

As leaders, we know it is better not to serve alone, but we still get into those habits of “I can do this faster than if I trained someone to do it for me”. The problem with this is that we end up loading our plates full of work and never take anyone with us. Sometimes, it is often better to do nothing than to do something alone, so always find someone to help you clean up, get service prepared, greet visitors, or make a hospital visit. There is much others can learn from you, much you can learn from them, and more you can do together than separately.

Never Lead Alone

Leading can sometimes be lonely - you often feel the burden of your responsibilities and shoulder it alone. It doesn’t have to be this way! Begin to find others that can help you lead a portion of your responsibilities rather than you leading it all. The Staircase Method is a great example of how to structure your leadership to accomplish this and grow the future leaders around you.

Never Live Alone

Those leading at church, working a full-time job, and having little time for our family can set ourselves up for true failure. What would happen if you lost your spouse due to lack of good quality and quantity of time with them? Would you regret those extra hours at work or church?

Puts things in perspective, doesn’t it? Prioritize your life! Don’t end up alone by neglecting your family. Define your time limits and stick to them! If you are single, replace the concept of family or spouse with friends, as they are important as well - they will keep you grounded!