Holy Hangover?
By Shawn Michael Shoup on May 06 2009
Anybody ever feel like this after a long weekend or event? I know I have.
Is it too easy for us to overcommit ourselves? Yes.
Do we find ourselves burnt out on ministry because we say “yes” too often? Definitely.
How many of you have seen youth worker peers dropping like flies (leaving the ministry) beside you? Mmmm-hmmm.
How can we prevent ourselves from having the “holy hangover“?
Comments
From Shawn Michael Shoup on May 07, 2009
@ Nick - LOL!
Just subscribed to your blog’s RSS. Looks like some good stuff.
From alaina on May 07, 2009
I have to agree: comp time is the way to go in terms of recovery. You need to invest full energy in the retreat weekend and if Suzy needs to talk about baptism at 1am, you talk with her at 1am.
If your church doesn’t have a comp time policy, suggest it to your pastor and see where it goes.
As for prevention: when we go on retreats, I make sure that I am only directly responsible for 20% of the programming. The rest of the time, I can be available to encourage and support the volunteers. They prepare the fun times, the short devotions, the campfires. I prepare the bible studies and provide direction in their planning. Hangover prevented.
From Jason on May 07, 2009
Turn your phone and computer off at 4 pm & schedule time with the fam! Watch a show…go out to eat…just get away.
From jimmy on May 07, 2009
I always take Mondays off and hide from teenagers!
From Matt Schaffner on May 07, 2009
Comp time and getting away are the keys I’d say. If my church didn’t give me the freedom to say “I’m gone Monday and Tuesday because we’re having XYZ” I’d be toast. Does it mean I still don’t overextend myself? No. But, it means I at least have a fighting chance when I do!
However, the biggest thing I’ve learned from my wife is to keep that time as sacred as I do the ministry calendar. I had to start with no cell and no laptop, but that was what it took. Now I can deal with the electronics (although it was almost two years before I got there), but still make sure I take my time off to recover, recharge, and become useful again.
From Doug on May 08, 2009
*Pace yourself. I am electronic everything except calendar. I still use the pencil, month-at-a-glance calendar. Why? So I can be sure to not book heavy stuff back-to-back and I can’t fill my days with a bazillion. It’s hard to fit that many things in small square!
*Join the Slow Club. Mark Yaconelli talks about this in CONTEMPLATIVE YOUTH MINISTRY. I was a member of the Slow Club before I read the book but now I have a name for it. We do things way too fast. I’ve been doing this for 30 years. I want to keep going.
From Sara on May 09, 2009
To agree with what others have said, DOWN TIME!! It’s key. I’m finishing up a week of it right now. After several crazy weeks in a row - I’m taking it easy this week. Very little presence on the web, not taking requests from people on non-vital projects. Not showing my face in the church office very much, turning my phone off a lot, eating lots of good food and hitting starbucks more than usual ... recovering! :)
From Daniel Griswold on May 09, 2009
I like the slow club thing. Plan the year right ahead of time and don’t plan big events within a few weeks of each other. Also, focusing on prayer is important. If we are walking in Gods will rather than our own we can be tired, but feel completely and fully alive. Often fatigue and depression are signs that you’ve been striving on your own for too long.
From Rhys Searles on May 09, 2009
I’m right there with Nick from the 1st comment. Comp Time is perfect…this includes you being gone at a conference, that’s technically work too…so comp those days and relieve yourself while taking in all that you learned.
I know for me its hard to just stop, especially since I’m awaiting the arrival of a future bride as she finishes up school 650 miles away…so I GO, GO, GO, GO, GO. But I need to realize that the hangover I feel on the weekend or Mon. when I’m off sometimes isn’t a good one.
This is for all of us….“It takes TIME!” If we rest it in Our Lord God we’ll be just fine.
Blessings Y’all.
From andrew latulippe on May 09, 2009
Wow there are some great ideas on here! I vote for comp time for sure. We need a weekly Sabbath rest and if you’re not taking it you’re shooting yourself in the foot (or maybe head). Slow Club (proud member) is a very good thing. We tend to not set limits for ourselves because we want to produce results for our church more than we honestly want to do what Christ wants. When I feel myself getting a spiritual hangover, I start getting people praying (don’t underestimate) and I seek time alone. There is nothing wrong with taking work time to go to the park and contemplate life, seek quiet, and be present to Christ.
From Dave on May 10, 2009
I can agree with taking some comp time. I do that often. The struggle is that I have 2 kids at home. After a busy youth weekend, the work doesn’t stop. It just shifts to home work and trying to help my wife relax after a long time alone with our kids.
I think the hard part id finding that time just to unwind. Of course watching some quality TV like LOST, THE OFFICE, of FRINGE help me.
From rob on July 27, 2009
just crank one out for jesus.
From Julie K on November 11, 2009
I want to know how you got a picture of me from Saturday afternoon!
I’m with Dave, except the trick is finding family time on the Monday or Tuesday comp days when my own two kids are in school. Those during-the-week comp days don’t replace the lost family time. It’s just one of the many ways in which a youth minister’s schedule doesn’t match the rest of the world’s.
I’ve been workin’ on the slow club for a year. I think I’m getting a little better…
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