Signs of Burnout in a Christian Leader

More Leaders Are Burned Out at Work than Ever Before

Your ability to detect signs of burnout in a Christian leader (maybe you,) and to respond in a helpful way, is crucial.

As a society, we've already lost quality people in critical roles to burnout. Sadly, this includes leaders who could have continued to make a significant contribution, rising out of a heart of faith.

Burnout impacts the retention of high performing leaders, the health and well-being of your team, and the reputation of your organization as a place to work. 

The last several years have pushed the challenges of burnout (and everything people are calling burnout) to the forefront of our consciousness. 

Pick up on the potential warning signs, and you can do something about it.

As a professional Coach working in this area for many, many years, I know together we can do something to bring solutions for leaders who find themselves in this situation. 

The Consequences of Burnout at Work Affect You, the Team and the Organization

As an executive, you pay attention to charts, trends, and statements, or you monitor client usage, response and lives affected.

All this data gives you valuable information that you act on. Stress, overload and burnout leaves a trail of information too.

Like watching a trend line develop, there are six indicators mentioned below that can point to a deteriorating personal situation.

If you see these signs of burnout in a Christian leader or in yourself, start asking questions. Reach out. 

Contact me, and I can support you or one of your valued leaders through burnout and beyond into renewed contribution and regained satisfaction.

No, I can't guarantee they'll stay in the organization, but I can guarantee I'll help them make their own decision as to what they believe is best for them. 

FAQ about job burnout and sponsoring a leader

What are Signs of Burnout in a Christian Leader?

What are signs of burnout in a Christian leader?

If you say "Yes" to all or several of these six indicators below, it tells you something needs to be paid attention to.

The more you are experiencing, and the greater the intensity, the more you need to stop now and address your situation.

1. A Loss of Energy

A loss of energy - You may sense a loss of physical, emotional or spiritual energy. The get up and go that normally characterizes you just isn't there.

You find yourself physically, emotionally or spiritually fatigued. Some have described feeling more and more spiritually hollowed out. And the sense of physical tiredness goes beyond just having a hard days work. It's something more pervasive. One day off or a holiday absolutely does not bring that sense of re-invigoration. You are running on empty.

For those on overdrive! The exact opposite might be true of you. You're hyped up on energy. You're addicted to adrenaline and fully bought into the line that to stop and recharge may be sin, too focused on self. Plus, your energy is leaning negative, critical, cynical and caustic.  

2. A Loss of Involvement

A loss of involvement - You start to withdraw from things you would normally be involved in. Signs of burnout at work may include withdrawing from people or from certain work situations in favor of being alone. There is almost an expressed indifference to projects, programs and causes that normally would engage your interests and passions.

You may even find yourself becoming cynical, irritated or seeing people as interruptions when it's not the case at all. When it comes right down to it, you feel like you are going through the motions of leadership, but somehow disconnected from it.

For those on overdrive! Again, your experience might be almost the opposite of above. You're in hyperdrive, doing everything. You're here, there, and everywhere. People find you (or at least you find yourself) indispensable. To take time alone might be a scary thought. Lot's of involvement + people = work = everything's good.

3. A Loss of Effectiveness

A loss of effectiveness - Your ability to perform as effectively as you once did is compromised. Performance suffers. The quality of work goes down. You're not a sharp as you normally are. Decision-making isn't as crisp and decisive. Communications are unclear and quality leadership is lacking.

Others around you may be increasingly frustrated by your behaviors. All these burnout symptoms are beginning to affect them. It's not that you lack these skills but that you seem unable to summon them when you need them. 

On the flip side of this, even if you did recognize the signs of burnout at work, you may be the type of person who would just "push through." Nothing is going to remain undone with excellence on your watch. Performance "will not" suffer. This too is equally as perilous. You might be in serious trouble, and in your tunnel vision, not acknowledge what's going on until you collapse from it. Read about burn-on.

For those on overdrive! You may have come to believe that you are the engine that makes everything else work well. You're the model of productivity. Only thing is, you are probably tripping everyone else up. Frustrating them. You're demanding, always right, always having the only way to do things, demeanor is wearing thin on those you lead. 

4. A Loss of Health and a Sense of Well-Being

A loss of health and a sense of well-being - What does job burnout feel like? Stress weakens the immune system and our ability to fight off disease or minor health problems. You may have a sense of not just feeling as well as you normally do. That general feeling of malaise hangs on.

You may experience any number of things happening to your body which don't seem to tie together and don't seem to have an explanation. Remember the effects of adrenaline: poor sleeping, aches and pains, stomach problems, unable to relax, and a host of others. You just don't feel as well as you know you should be feeling.

For those on overdrive! What will it take to slow you down to take a look at yourself? A heart attack? Ending up in ER with whatever? You're probably shoving all the little signals down, too busy to pay attention, or too stubborn by this point to acknowledge there might be a problem.

5. A Loss of a Sense of Control

A loss of a sense of control - Where you once felt you had some control in what was happening, your confidence has waned, or maybe even plummeted.

Circumstances don't seem great. You are being tasked with achieving certain results, but you don't have all the levers in your hands to make it happen. Another individual (or several) control what you need to "do your job" well.

Maybe it's systemic. The way things are set up and operate only create challenges and lead to stress. Demands are being made of you that you see as unreasonable.

Showing up each day to face what's going on is a mountain to climb. 

For those on overdrive! You may have compensated in exactly the opposite way. You have control all right. You're a control machine. And to not have it would freak you out. 

6. A Loss of Spiritual Vitality

A loss of spiritual vitality - Where your life and words were spiritually more vibrant, life-giving, and engaging, they have dulled. There’s a loss of clarity and attractiveness.

The energy, urgency and conviction has waned. Your personal time spent with God has diminished. 

You spend more time criticizing, being negative and making cynical comments than uplifting others around you. You may sound more demanding than gracious.

People might not enjoy being around such negative behavior.And if you’re being honest, you probably already know it’s happening.

For those on overdrive! You've got the rest of us bummed out. Nobody can match the great spiritual (what was your name again?.) You're beginning to sound like a living compendium of laws and righteousness (not in the good sense.) Grace has flown, and along with it much graciousness. 

Do You Find Yourself Saying, "I am Burned Out?" 

While I can hardly capture the physical, emotional, systemic, and social totality of what people are feeling, I invite you to reflect a little more on what burnout feels like here.

In one sense it will sound simple .. it feels like too much, and it feels like not enough.

Take some time to think about this. Ask yourself the questions - What am I experiencing that is too much? What am I experiencing that is too little?  

Perhaps it will allow you to more easily describe your own situation and feelings.

You can read the definition of burnout here.

We Need to Mention Depression

Depression is something quite different and really serious. If that's the kind of help you think you might need, this symptoms of depression page will be helpful.  

Paying Attention to the Signs of Burnout in a Christian Leader Means You Can Do Something About It

Signs of burnout in a Christian leader show up in different ways for different executives, leaders and professionals.

• Some push through each day never willing to let their responsibilities or professionalism falter. I often refer to this as burn-on.
• Others are more or less immobilized by it. 
• Most are unhappy, frustrated, and feel trapped with the lack of control over their own circumstances.
• And I've found that far too many leaders, particularly Christian, feel shame that they failed and weren't able to "do it all."
• Others are stalled by other ways of thinking that aren't helping them. Here are 10 reasons most leaders fail to take timely action to prevent overload and burnout. 

These "signals" are telling you something.

Just like a lighthouse, they are giving you the signal to pay attention to what's happening. The rocks and hidden shoals may lie just ahead.

Make needed adjustments now. Contact me and initiate a conversation about coaching to avoid or deal with burnout. I want you working and leading with greater satisfaction and recovered effectiveness. 

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As an Executive Coach, I'd Like to Support You Through Burnout and Beyond 

Take advantage of the benefits of executive coaching. Avoid burnout altogether. And, if you are endeavoring to lead while carrying this heavy load, contact me. I know how to provide the support you need.

Over many years I have coached leaders and executives dealing with overload, burnout and burn-on.

If you are experiencing any combination of these signs of burnout in a Christian leader, an initial conversation will determine if and how I might assist you or point you to additional help.

Call my office at 705.687.2711 or send me a message here.

You have a contribution to make. I'd like to help you continue to do that. 

Recap

On this page we have discussed:

• Burnout is tied to retention, contribution, well-being and more
• The creep toward burnout is accompanied by warning signs
• Burnout often involves a loss of energy, loss of involvement, loss of effectiveness, loss of health and sense of well-being, a loss of a sense of control, and a loss of spiritual vitality.
• Overload, burnout or burn-on is a big weight for a leader and those close to them to carry
• If you see the signs of burnout in a Christian leader, or in yourself, you can do something about it
• As an Executive Coach who understands, I can help.