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4 Incredibly Simple Steps to Avoid Burnout

3. Monthly: Take one entire weekend off.

At least once monthly, take an entire weekend (or two days in a row) off.

If you are in business, this should not be that difficult. In fact, you should be doing it at least once per month.

If you are a pastor, consider preaching no more than 40 times per year. Seriously. Are you really so gifted and important that you need to preach 50 times per year? Your church will survive with you out of the pulpit once monthly.

Train up another preacher, let him preach and take one entire weekend off every month. Having two to three days off once monthly will allow you to recharge and work hard when you are working.

4. Quarterly: Take a week off.

Once per quarter, take an extended time off.

Too many leaders that I know save all of their vacation for summers. They work 11 and a half months per year and are exhausted by about February, and useless March through May.

If you are in business, take two or three vacation days once per quarter, combine it with a weekend, and get away.

If you are a pastor, consider taking one week off every quarter. This will keep you much fresher as you are always only 13 weeks away from vacation.

(In order to do this, you’ll have to fight for four weeks of vacation. I’d be happy to coach you through this. I have successfully argued to church leadership gatekeepers several times that working hard 48 weeks per year is much better than working 50 weeks per year and being burnt out all of the time.)