When I read Breaking Busy by Alli Worthington awhile back, this quote she referenced by Christine Cane totally stopped me in my tracks: “You don’t burn out doing the right things, you burn out because of what you don’t do!”
That statement got me thinking about the things I try to every day to avoid hitting burnout. Here are 3 things I came up with that I try to add into my day that make a big impact:
1. I Add in Time in God’s Word & Prayer
As a Christian, this is the number one thing I have found to keep me from hitting burnout. Spending time in God’s Word and in prayer refreshes my spirit and fills my soul.
My favorite studies are from She Reads Truth. I love their mission to encourage women to be in the Word of God every day. You can purchase their devotional journals or you can just sign up to get the daily emails with Scriptures and encouraging thoughts. {Read more about how She Reads Truth works here.}
When the kids were little, I used to hide away in the bathroom and read The Daily Light. This is a compilation of topical Scriptures and it’s so rich and encouraging. You can get it in whatever Bible translation you prefer.
Are you in a busy season of life that makes it hard for you to commit a lot of time to read? Here are a few other options:
- Listen to the Bible on audio
- Download sermon podcasts (our church has their sermons available online or as a podcast)
- Turn on some praise music (I love the options available on Amazon Prime Music!)
These are great ways to encourage your heart while you are cleaning or doing other mundane tasks.
I also love to spend time in the morning praying over my day while I’m on the treadmill. I’ll pray through the events of my day, ask God for wisdom in areas where I’m struggling, ask for God’s blessing on projects I’m working on, pray for my husband and kids, pray for other needs, and spend time thanking God for Who He is and what He’s doing in my life.
Taking the time to pray over my day and start my day with prayer lays such a great foundation for my day.
2. I Add in Time Connecting With Others
We weren’t created to live by ourselves or be loners. On the contrary, God designed us to need community.
While hospitality used to be something I considered not my strong point at all, I’m getting better and better at it as I make it a priority and just open up our home and life to others.
In this season of our life, we’ve been opening our home to friends almost daily and it’s been a beautiful thing. I love being able to use our home to bless and encourage others and to just get to “do life” and be in everyday community with people we love. I find that I’m so filled up by doing this!
A few other ways I seek to connect with friends each week:
- Our Monday Group — a group of families that we get to hang out with each Monday night just to talk, laugh, connect with, love on, and do life with. It’s been one of the greatest blessings of moving here.
- Spending intentional time with Jesse and our kids — just being together, learning together, laughing together, and loving life together.
- Keeping up with friends through texting — it’s a great way to let people know I’m praying for them, to hear how things are going, and to just stay involved in life — especially in long-distance relationships.
- Getting together with girlfriends at least once or twice. I’m currently involved in a Wednesday night Bible Study with a group of local ladies and also usually have a coffee date with a friend at least a few times per month.
3. I Add in Time to Take Care of Myself
So many of us are guilty of running around all day taking care of everyone else, that we forget to take care of ourselves. When you neglect yourself, it is one of the fastest ways you can hit burn out.
For me, taking time out for myself means doing things I love. Some of these things are:
- Scoping: I just love getting to interact live with many of you on Periscope every day. It truly energizes me in a great way.
- Writing: I love blogging — which is why I’ve stuck with it for so long!
- Laughing: The other day, I shared a funny video that I found with Jesse. We just laughed and laughed about it. Laughter is so good for the soul!
- Coffee: What more need I say? I love me some good coffee in a cute mug!
- Quiet: I try to take a little time each day for quiet — whether that’s reading something, taking a bath, or just driving somewhere by myself without the radio on.
These are just a few of the things that I like doing for myself. Most of the things on this list don’t require a lot of time, but investing a little time to make sure I’m doing things I love makes such a difference in helping me feel refreshed and renewed.
What do you intentionally try to ADD to your life to avoid burnout?
Great tips – I’m reading the She Reads Truth Lent study currently — oh Jonah! Love to steam sermons and music. Any specific music tips for Amazon Prime? I usually end up listening to the same albums on repeat – currently Chris Tomlin Burning Lights. Ideas please?
I’m loving the Chris Tomlin station and the Steven Curtis Chapman station right now. I also like to see what they recommend based upon what I’ve listened to.
LOVE the quote. I too need time in God’s word and prayer. When my kids were little I put verses up on kitchen cupboards and on the washer and dryer so I could drink in their words in the little moments during my day that were not consumed with diaper changes and keeping them from climbing the walls (yeah mine were all climbers).
Now that their teenagers I enjoy much more time to drink up God’s word and spend time in prayer.
My biggest struggle now with taking time for me is I guess I would call it “upkeep”? Not sure of a better term. But taking time out to get a hair cut or even blow dry my hair before it fully dries is really hard for me.
I read, I work out, I take time out for friends, I spend time in God’s word and prayer, but take 5 minutes to style my hair now that is just going too far! LOL At least that is what the voice in my head says. I know it is wrong but it is a constant struggle.
I love these tips! Thank you so much for sharing!
I’ve learned this year that beauty is an important part of rest. Your beauty helps you to rest, not always feeling like something is missing. And it helps the people around you too ready because everything is complete and beauty brings peace.
I’m burning out right now and instead of being useful I’m shutting down. The baby goes to sleep at 7.30 and then I just sit and stare for an hour before going to bed myself. It’s all so overwhelming right now (3 kids, full time job, parents VERY close by) So here’s what I am going to intentionally do tonight (while the birthday cake is in the oven) start reading Breaking Busy – which I just bought today when I read this post – Thanks Crystal
Great advice… totally agree with all and found a few I need to start incorporating more. 😉 One thing I will add, and it may have to do with the fact that I live in Florida.. but spending time outside everyday. It totally energizes, encourages and empowers me to take a walk and soak up the sun and all of God’s goodness! =)
Yes! I love this post. You summed up the most important investments in our lives. I need my early morning time with the Lord to set my attitude for the crazy day at work. My husband lost his job almost two years ago while God allowed me to restart my career after 14 years (only God can orchestrate it!) at home with our children. We had a totally role swap. That year our son also started college while our daughter returned to public high school from homeschooling during her middle school years. But leaning on God, each other, our closest friends, and loving blogs like yours and a few other blogs you linked here, we’ve made it through with flying colors. Our marriage and family are both stronger and my dear husband is embarking on what we believe is God’s calling, totally out of his comfort zone and vocation. We are so so excited for our family’s future in Christ. Thank you Crystal, you have been an inspiring source for me to press on. Your family is so precious. You are a perfect example of a Proverb 31 woman. We all can be when we look to God for all of our needs, spiritually, but also emotionally and physically. In John 10:10, He promises abundant life for all of His children! Thanks again, Crystal.
I avoid burnout by exercising every day. I never liked exercise, sports or PE as a kid. As I got older and looked at those ahead of me in life, I realized that the people who exercised seemed to glow with energy and vitality. I wanted to be like that. Now, after my kids have become teenagers, I finally lost all my “baby” fat and find that exercise gives me energy. I can’t imagine living without it!
Another great resource for Bible reading is the Daily Audio Bible. The adult version will take you through the Bible in a year. There is a Teen and Tween version too. It’s great!
I love this! Thanks so much for sharing!
I am like you . . . I love to ride in the car with no music or anything, just QUIET! 🙂
Avoiding burnout for me includes realizing that I need to stop thinking all. the. time. I need to think about one thing at a time, instead of multiple things, to really be present in each moment.
Question: How do you manage to have people in your home almost everyday? I would LOVE that, but feel like I am so strapped for time as it is.
In most cases, we just invite them into our home and lives… letting them join in whatever we’re doing/inviting them to do life with us as we are. Cutting WAY back on business commitments and having a year of rest, has afforded us the space to be able to do this and it’s been such a joy!
I love this post, these are excellent tips. High on my avoid -burnout list right now is getting enough sleep. Every Friday night, I’ve come home, eaten dinner, and crashed into bed for 12 hours. It’s been a glorious weekend luxury!
This is such a timely post…as I work to get my coaching business going, I’m realizing already that it would be so easy to work myself into the ground. Staying rooted and grounded in the Word and prayer also is a must for me and I realize that it’s important to step away from the computer and focus on chores and tending to my family. As much as I will grumble about being pulled away at times, I realize this is God’s way of refreshing me with a different kind of work.
I also wanted to let you know that I’ve really appreciated what you’ve been sharing about rest lately and the encouragement and insight you offer to other women who are interested in growing a home-based business. Thanking God for you and the way He works through you.
YES! So true!
I think it is important to add time daily, weekly, and monthly to plan. (So that life doesn’t just happen to you.) Share your goals and plans with your family so they can share in the progress you all make together.
Oh, such a great word of advice!
As an introvert, Ive found the best thing I can do to avoid burnout is to have scheduled time where it is quiet and I am alone. My children are all early risers so I have to wake between 430 and 5:00 if I’m to have any alone time. As someone who used to insist she “hated mornings ” I would never have imagined it, but I absolutely love the early-morning quiet time. I can do my Bible study, read a good book and enjoy a cup of coffee in silence.
Such good advice! Thanks so much for sharing!