Your life was not intended to operate from burnout.

I was preparing for work one morning when I ripped a contact attempting to get it into my eye. It was my last one, and I didn’t have the money to replace it. I grabbed an old pair of glasses with a prescription that was years too old and made my way to work. When I got there, I sat at my desk alone, and within moments, I lost it. First, there was one tear rolling down my face and then there were hundreds. Once the flow began, there was no stopping it. I sobbed hysterically. It wasn’t the contacts. It was a thousand things that caused my tears. Eye care was just the thing that happened to tip the bucket. I was a young single mom of two children with no money, a broken heart, and little family support. I was drowning in every way. I was desperate for someone to throw me a lifeline. My relationship with God had somehow waned in the distance, and I was in a survival mode that left me empty and broken most days. I felt so very alone. Sound familiar?

Sometimes, the one little thing is the straw that breaks the proverbial camel’s back. It’s the last thing in a string of things that throws us into all-out panic mode. I’ve been there. Sadly, many of us have learned to function on the brink of burnout much of the time. I’ve faced burnout as a single mom and a married one, a mom of toddlers and a mom of teenagers. The truth is, each season presents its own challenges, and we need to get good at operating from a full cup, not an empty one, not a barely functioning one. Here are a few things I’ve learned through the years that have helped me successfully battle when I was near burnout:

1. Know your role. When we understand that our role in life is not to be everything to everyone and that we do not have to fix the world, our kids, or our coworkers, great freedom comes. We are not in the business of fixing others. We are in the business of pointing people in the direction to the God who can fix things. Our role in life is to continue to direct people to the Lord as their source of strength, courage, patience, wisdom, and hope. The problem with many of us is that we’ve attempted to step into a role of “fixer” for too many for too long. However, we were never designed to be that, and it’s too big of a weight to bear. Knowing the role we play in others’ lives and learning to establish healthy boundaries are critical to guarding ourselves against burnout.
2. Stay spiritually healthy. You’ve likely heard it said that you cannot pour from an empty cup. It’s so true. You cannot give when you are not receiving. How can you raise children up in the way they should go, when you aren’t tapped into the source of strength? How can you perform at an optimal level at work, when you aren’t getting daily strategy from the Holy Spirit? Do not disconnect from your spiritual disciplines. Sadly, they can be the first to go when we are tired, frustrated, brokenhearted, or overwhelmed. This is why so many face burnout. We get tired, and we tap out. Stay in God's word. It is our lifeline to wisdom. Continue with regular church attendance. Pray without ceasing. All the things that have contributed to your Christian journey with the Lord thus far are the very things that will sustain you throughout seasons of extreme hardship. I can’t tell you the number of times I clung to a Bible huddled in a corner on the floor, just crying out, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. Your Word is true. Help me. Sustain me. Heal me.” And He was faithful each and every time.
3. Rest. This was always the hardest for me. I am a natural-born doer. There is always laundry to fold, dishes to wash, a paper to review for work, or homework to help with. And yes, no doubt, as a single mom your task list is endless. However, our identity isn’t in our doing. Our identity is found in Christ and Him alone. And some of us are busy doing because we don’t want to sit and listen to the Lord. We don’t want to feel the pain of the break-up. When we attempt to run faster than we were designed to, we often miss the rest that Hebrews 4:9-11 promise us. There is special rest for the people of God – a rest of knowing He is able, a rest of knowing He won’t leave us, a rest of knowing He is working all things out for our good. There is healing for broken hearts available today. There is rest for weary souls today.
4. Accountability is healthy. What does accountability have to do with burnout? Much! Your life should be structured in such a way that you are accountable to others such as your pastor, ministry leader, a mentor, parent, or godly friend. Iron sharpens iron. Those who love us will see red flags of over-exertion, isolation, wandering away from our spiritual journey, and much more. Experience and wisdom can be offered from accountability. They offer perspective and instruction. They help keep us safe and healthy. It is God’s design for our life.

Mommas, you are doing far better than you think. Lean on God for your strength! Go to Him, and He will sustain you and give you rest (see Matthew 11:28-30). These four areas will assist you in guarding your heart and mind against burnout.

Points to Ponder:

• Have you ever experienced burnout? What was going on in your life at the time?
• What did you do to overcome these feelings? Were your spiritual disciplines active in your life at that time or were they waning?
• Do you have healthy accountability in your life now? Why or why not? How might accountability help you guard against burnout?
• Do you find it hard to rest – away from your phone, responsibilities, media, and others? Why or why not?