Battling Burn-Out: Simple but Not Easy

• 
• Tweet
• Sumo

• 
• Tweet

One big homeschooling problem revolves around the questions:

1. How can you avoid burn out?
2. What can you do if you burn out? 

Before we can tackle these questions, we need to know what burn out is.

Burn out:  to fail, wear out, or become exhausted by reason of excessive demands on energy, strength or resources (Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary)

Well, going by the definition (which I never really looked up until today, and which surprised me with its simplicity) there are two options to combat burn out.

• You can either reduce the demands on energy, strength, or resources, or
• you can increase the amount of energy, strength, or resources.

This sounds very simple, but I think it’s like dieting.  Everyone knows you have to use up more calories than you eat if you want to lose weight.  But it’s still an uphill battle to actually do it.

Similarly, battling burn-out is simple in theory but difficult in practice. 

• First you have to step back enough to decide whether or not you’re making excessive demands on yourself.   (Husbands can usually tell.)
• Then you have to decide whether you can reduce the demands, or increase the energy, strength, and resources, or do a combination of both.
• Then you have to decide how to go about it. 

Ways to reduce the demands include managing your time, being organized, planning wisely, letting things slide, delegating, reducing expectations, evaluating your priorities, and understanding how God wants you to live.

Ways to increase your energy, strength, and resources, include adequate rest, excellent nutrition, moderate regular exercise, fresh air, sunshine, fun, laughter, relaxation, repentance, gratitude, and living by God’s Word.

Most people who are on their way to burn out, or who are burnt out, need help with these steps.  They also need help not to become burnt out about avoiding burn out.  If you know what I mean. 

My story:  Because I have excessively low energy and strength since becoming ill a few years ago (I have celiac disease and some other unknown energy-sapping, muscle-weakening ailment), I am very conscious of my daily ‘energy budget’ as my doctor calls it.  And I cannot do the things many people do without risking burn out, as my doctor regularly reminds me.

So I now live my life with much less strength and energy than many women, but God has blessed me even in this.  I’ve had to reorganize and reprioritize the things I do and find more appropriate outlets for my energy… non-physical outlets such as reviewing and blogging rather than heavy gardening, hiking, and lots of field trips.  I’m also working on getting stronger at my own pace, with the help of the encouraging Fit Mommies. 

It’s wonderful that I now have the energy to be a wife and mother, to homeschool, to manage the home (not to do all the work, though), and even, with careful planning, to garden. I’m very grateful for these blessings that I used to take for granted.  Soli Deo Gloria.