Burning Both Ends

Managing Time to Allow for both Work and Rest

Shawn and his wife Deanna have a strong desire to see students and adults living out their destiny in all of the fullness that this life has to offer....

Managing time is one of the most poorly practiced skills in the youth ministry profession.

I've seen too many of my peers give it their all—filling up monthly youth calendars, going to students' extracurricular activities, taking late night phone calls, going out for sodas/coffee, and inviting students into their homes at all hours with disastrous consequences.

I think it's one of the top reasons that so many youth workers drift away after only a couple of years. They've over-committed themselves, over-filled their calendars, and said yes to too many things—many times leaving no space for their home lives, rest, or self-edification and spiritual growth.

All of this leads to burn-out.

Some of this comes from self-inflicted pressure to perform and do our best (I'm talking to you, Mr. Melancholy/Perfectionist), and other times the pressure actually comes from our church staff to "keep the calendar full and the kids busy." Busyness has almost become a badge of honor that we wear like another feather on our hat. It's another notch on our belt towards self-fulfilled feelings of adequacy.

Truth be told, though, real student ministry and life change don't happen through a full calendar of ministry events. In fact, I've even heard of parents complaining when the student ministry calendar becomes too full! Interesting, huh?

My advice? Set very clear boundaries between work and rest.

Schedule Down Time

Set blocks of time in your day/week that are reserved for time away from work. If you have a spouse and children, they will appreciate it; if you are single, you are setting yourself up for long-term ministry health.

My two days off are generally reserved for family and free time. I also do my best to keep my family in priority in the evenings—from about 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. When students call during this time, I ask them if it's alright if I call them a bit later or the next day. Nine times out of ten, most students have no problem with that.

Publicize Time Off

Talk publicy about your "family/rest time." Don't announce it in a way that makes it seem like you are "off limits;" talk about your personal time as your time set aside to refill and refresh, to be with your family, and to spend personal time with God.

If this becomes part of the rhythm of your work week, it becomes a model others can look to in their own lives, as well.

Leave It at Work

If at all possible, don't take work home with you. Do your best to keep your work e-mail separate from your personal account. Don't stop by the office on your days off unless absolutely necessary. And as much as possible, keep your paperwork on your work desk, not the family couch.

Sabbath

Sabbath, meaning "to cease," is a biblical practice, so it's a good idea to practice it. When you have down time, set apart some time for recharging. Relax. Be still. Listen. Pray. Read. Rest.

Just as rest stops are necessary on long journeys, if you want to make the long haul in youth ministry, make sabbath a priority. It's okay to not "live and breathe" your job all of the time. Actually, I should probably say it more strongly: It's not okay to live and breathe your job all of the time.

Sabbath is about being nurtured. It's a sanctuary, an avenue for growth, and a means of protection. It becomes a way in which we regain our strength, gain our bearings, and heal our wounds.

Say No

This doesn't come easy for some of us, so we have to learn how to say no. We don't have to do it all. It's hard at first, especially when we work with a smaller teams. It is, however, a needed skill for both our personal health and the health of your overall ministry.

Doug Fields has a great book to check out in this regard titled What Matters Most. Bottom line: don't overstretch yourself in one arena to make yourself ineffective in all the others over the long haul.

Seek Help

Don't fall into the trap of trying to do it all—that's a recipe for disaster. Invite others who are willing to help to do so.

Above all, though, rely heavily on Jesus, find your rest in him, and you'll find yourself healthier and more steadfast in your resolve to reach out to students.

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