Last night at our ODM staff meeting a board member came to talk to us about "self care." She has been married and in the ministry for over 30 years - so i appreciate her advice. She reminded us of the threat of burn-out working in compassionate ministries. Her advice is:::
1. Get away by yourself - Reflect and Pray
2. Pray with your spouse - you can argue or fight all day with your spouse but it's hard to argue in front of God.
3. Lament - find someone to pour out your lamentations - either God or a good friend.
3. Ask for Help - don't be afraid to say you need a break or to ask for help.
4. Exercise - movement is key - you must exercise if you want to find rest at the end of the day.
5. Bedtime Hygiene - have a relatively consistent bedtime - and reserve 30 minutes before as winding down time - because good sleep is key to a healthy lifestyle/ministry.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I treasure practical, experience-based suggestions like this - I'm all about preventative self care because in my young life I have already dabbled in burn-out. And I'm thankful that my boss for the most part sets a good example of caring for yourself so that you may care for others.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Does anyone else have any self-care secrets??? besides of course a good book and coffee which is a staple for me. =)
No comments:
Post a Comment