Do you want to know what drives my wife crazy??? When I check my emails in the evenings, pulling out my phone and open my email app, when I should be paying attention to my family. Can you relate? We often work when we should be resting, and over time, that pattern takes a toll. If we are not careful, it leads to burnout.

Pastors, more than most other careers, have a tendency to bring their work home with them. Why? We are called. We love what we do. We love our people. We are passionate about the mission that God has entrusted to us. Therefore, we have a tendency to bring our work home with us. Whether this is a good thing or not is for another article, but the effects of being constantly “on call” can show over time. Our passion for what God has called us to can wear us thin if we do not have proper boundaries in our lives. Not only that, but so much of a pastor’s life is wrapped up in and intertwined with the church that they serve. Their social life, relational circles, and extracurricular life can all revolve around their church.

Why does this matter? An imbalance in a pastor’s work-life balance can lead to the ministry-killer of burnout. When a pastor reaches the point of burnout, the ministry and mission are negatively affected. We cannot allow a preventable danger to hinder the mission that Jesus has called us to! We are called to steward ourselves well for His glory. So, how do we recognize and prevent this hinderance to our calling? To protect ourselves from burnout, we must first understand how it develops, then learn how to guard against it, and finally surround ourselves with people who will hold us accountable.

1. Realize that Burnout Creeps in Slowly

Burnout doesn’t happen overnight. It is a process that creeps in over a long period of time. Have you ever heard the old idiom, “burning the candle at both ends”? It originated from a 17th-century French phrase, “brûler la chandelle par les deux bouts.” Originally, it meant wasteful spending or living extravagantly, as candles were expensive and lighting both ends at once was wasteful. It later evolved to mean exhausting oneself by not having a healthy work-life balance. This imbalance, over time, can lead to burnout.

Pastors should be cautious about this. According to a study released by Barna research, “24 percent of U.S. senior Protestant pastors say they have seriously considered leaving full-time ministry within the past year.” Much of this trend is due to the pressures that are uniquely carried by pastoral ministry. I would dare to say that none of these 24% were seriously considering leaving the ministry when they started the ministry. No, it happened over a period of time as a result of carrying the weight of numerous pressures. This statistic reflects not weakness, but exhaustion; men who began with passion but gradually became overwhelmed.

2. Set Boundaries that are Real

My wife and I have running joke that centers on the number of times that I have said something like, “Once I get through this season, things will slow down.” We’ve all said something like this. The hard truth, though, is that it never slows down. We move from one busy season to the next. There’s always some event, holy day, sermon, member crisis, etc. that keeps the pastor busy. It never truly slows down, so how do we guard ourselves against burnout?

Establish healthy boundaries and support systems.

1. Rest! Take a weekly sabbath and rest from your work. You don’t have to be legalistic about it, but God gave us a weekly day of rest for a reason… use it. Related to that, take time off (PTO) even if you don’t go anywhere, take time off to rest and spend time with those you love.
2. Avoid working during those times when you should be spending time with your family and loved ones. Relationships are one of the guards that God has provided us to protect us from burnout.
3. Delegate! You do not have to do everything. As a matter of fact, Ephesians 4 commands us to delegate, training and equipping others for the work of the Gospel. Invest in others and the next generation of leaders/pastors by delegating responsibilities to them and giving them opportunities to work in the ministry. Rest, delegation, and community are not luxuries in ministry; they are biblical expressions of faithful stewardship.
4. Pay attention to the actual hours that you are working. If you are consistently working 60+ hours a week, you may want to reconsider your work habits. There will be seasons in which you exceed the normative and healthy number of hours, but compensate for that after that season. For example, when our Kids or Youth Ministers go to a week-long church camp, I require them to take some time off to compensate and recover from that grueling week. It doesn’t affect their PTO, but it does affect their mental, physical, and spiritual health.

Setting boundaries is not selfish; it is an act of faith that trusts God to work even when we rest.

3. Surround Yourself with People that will Protect You

My wife is my defender against burnout. She is the person that sees what I do at home away from the office. She notices if I’m burning the candle at both ends. We can all be guilty of this. Bringing work home. Constantly thinking about work-related issues and not disconnecting. My wife sees it and gently calls me out on it. Now, I realize that not every spouse is able or comfortable playing this role, which is why broader accountability is essential.

The Elders of our church and other staff also watch out for me. If they see an issue, they have permission to call it out. I have more than once been told that I should take some time off. I have also said that to some of my staff members.

Surround yourself with people who want the best for you. People who are looking out for you and are willing to be your champions. Recruit them to speak into your life.

Burnout is real. It damages families, weakens churches, and dulls our joy in ministry. But it is not inevitable. By setting boundaries, embracing rest, and inviting trusted people into our lives, we can serve faithfully for the long haul. God has not called us to burn out for Him, but to walk with Him in faithfulness and endurance.