6 Practical Ways to Recover From Burnout
August stretches her long arms toward autumn, and it’s hard to believe these barefoot days will soon be over. Summer is a full season for our family. I often feel stretched too thin by summer’s end. I think of this as I sit by bubbling water and consider how to recover from burnout.
Most of us will face burnout at some point.
Ways to Recover From Burnout
The job that once brought a sense of purpose and satisfaction begins to feel like drudgery.
The calling from which you can’t temporarily excuse yourself suddenly feels like a prison.
Or maybe the ministry suddenly takes a U-turn. You want to throw in the towel, but for about 89 reasons, that doesn’t seem to be an option.
How to Recover From Burnout
So how do we recover from burnout when we can’t just opt out of our lives? Here are just a few suggestions . . .
1. Recover From Burnout by Embracing a Summer-Break Mentality
Find something to look forward to with an eager sense of expectation. It might not be a summer vacation. Plan a weekend trip or two hours on a Saturday doing something you absolutely love. Look forward to it. Write it on the calendar. This simple reprieve can make an enormous difference by offering a sense of upcoming enjoyment in the midst of your schedule.
2. Start Taking 10-Minute Timeouts
You might not be able to carve out a few hours to escape, but you can find a few minutes. Force yourself to take a lunch break, and take a walk in the park. Spend ten minutes doing something you love at the end of each day. Walk, paint, read a novel, play with the dog in the backyard, take a bath, or bake cookies for just ten short minutes. Your body needs these breaks. Your mind needs these breaks.
3. Implement Movement Breaks Into Your Days
The endorphins released through even low-intensity exercise are a natural stress reliever and lead to better overall health. Even a 10-minute walk is enough to take the edge off. Simply take a break from your work and walk around the block, the building, or the office.
4. Find Someone Who Has Been Doing What You’re Doing at Least Ten Years Longer
Have a conversation. Seek advice from someone who has walked in your shoes. Sometimes the perspective of an older and wiser mentor makes an enormous difference.
One of the most powerful statements that carried me through my seven years as a high school special education teacher came from my father, who spent his career in the same occupation.
I was feeling worn down and discouraged after a difficult season when my dad said, “Stacey, remember that it’s just a job.”
We should do all that we do with our whole hearts, but at the end of the day, there are things that matter more than how you are performing in your workplace, the cleanliness of your house, or the assessments that come from the watchful eyes of your superiors. Do your very best, but remember that your performance does not define you. Not in the least.
Do your very best, but remember that your performance does not define you. #identity #IdentityinChrist #motivation #ChristianQuotes Click To Tweet5. Recover From Burnout by Staying in Community
If you want to overcome burnout, spend time with people you sincerely like. Plan a girls’ night out. Go for a hike with friends. Go on a date with another couple. While this sometimes feels like more work, time spent with others is restorative for the soul. Surround yourself with positive people.
6. Replace the Lies in Your Mind with the Truth of God’s Word
Here are several truths for the weary soul:
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song” (Psalm 28:7).
“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act” (Psalm 37:5).
“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
Spending time with the Lord is restorative when we actually encounter him as we pursue him. If Bible reading and prayer are simply add-ons to a full to-do list, we’re not likely to actually encounter the restorative presence of the Lord. Join me right here for fresh ideas to help you connect with God. Be blessed!
A Free Devotional to Help You Recover From Burnout:
Does the idea of slipping away to recharge and refresh sound inviting? Space for Your Soul to Stretch is your personal invitation to create space to rest in God’s presence. You need only 12 minutes per day for this 8-day journey. Each day invites you to encounter God’s created world and spend time in his written Word. You will walk away from this journey replenished and refreshed each day. It is my free gift for you. Check it out right here. 
These Two Books are Free on Kindle Unlimited as eBooks and Also Available in Print:
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life. Find this life-changing book in eBook form for free on the Kindle Unlimited Plan or for 12.99 in print right here. (You can sign up for a free three-month Kindle Unlimited trial if you are not a member.) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!
Calling All Moms and Daughters!
Additionally, my 12-year-old daughter, Bekah, and I wrote a mother-daughter devotional book to help mothers and daughters grow closer together while connecting with God. Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith includes 60 devotions with Scripture, commentaries from both of us, conversation starters, and even a shared journaling section. Multitudes of mothers, daughters, mentors, and younger women are being transformed by this book! You can find this book in eBook form for free on the Kindle Unlimited Plan or buy a print copy for 11.99 right here.
