How self-mismanagement is often the root cause of burnout …

Maya thrived on deadlines. All-nighters fueled by caffeine were her badge of honor. But weeks turned into months, and the constant rush left her drained. One morning, staring at a blank screen, the fire was gone. Emails piled up, her phone a dead weight. Maya, the deadline slayer, was burned out, a victim of her own relentless pace.

Burnout is a miserable experience with potentially serious long-term consequences.

The good news is, it’s often avoidable.

The sad news is, for many who do go through a full experience of burnout, the primary reason is often self-mismanagement.

FIRST, SOME CONTEXT …
In this post, I specifically want to look at the issue of mismanaging ourselves as a primary cause to burnout, but first let’s build a basic understanding of burnout.

What is burnout? Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and often physical (and even spiritual) exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress. Burnout is different from stress in that it feels never-ending and cannot be easily alleviated.

What are some of the symptoms of burnout? They can be specific, or more all-encompassing of the following:

• • Physical: Fatigue, headaches, muscle aches, sleep disturbance.
  • Emotional: Cynicism, detachment, feeling helpless, hopelessness, moodiness, impatience.
  • Mental: Difficulty concentrating, reduced productivity and creativity, lack of motivation, problems with memory.

Burnout is a serious issue because the consequences can be severe, such as:

• • Physical health: Prolonged stress from burnout can weaken the immune system, lead to cardiovascular problems, and cause chronic fatigue.
  • Mental health: Burnout is closely linked to anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline. It can escalate into severe mental health disorders if left unaddressed.
  • Work performance: Burnout negatively impacts productivity, increases errors, and strains relationships with colleagues. Over time, this affects career growth and job satisfaction.
  • Quality of life: Burnout diminishes overall life satisfaction, affecting personal relationships and enjoyment of daily activities.
  • Long-term impact: Ignoring burnout can alter career trajectories, limit personal growth, and erode happiness.

And before we move on, it’s important to note that burnout doesn’t just impact a person physically, mentally, and emotionally, but can also negatively impact their spiritual life, such as in the following ways:

• • Doubt and questioning: When experiencing burnout, Christians may begin to doubt their faith or question God’s goodness. The exhaustion and overwhelm can lead to feelings of abandonment or confusion.
  • Neglect of spiritual practices: Burnout often causes neglect of essential spiritual practices such as prayer, Bible reading, and fellowship. When we’re drained, it’s challenging to maintain consistent spiritual disciplines.
  • Loss of joy and passion: Burnout can steal the joy and passion that comes from a vibrant relationship with God. Worship, serving others, and participating in church activities may feel burdensome rather than life-giving.
  • Isolation: Burnout can lead to isolation. Instead of seeking fellowship and support, individuals may withdraw from church, small groups, and friendships.
  • Cynicism and bitterness: Chronic exhaustion can foster cynicism and bitterness. Christians may become disillusioned with church leadership, fellow believers, or even God Himself.
  • Spiritual dryness: Burnout often results in spiritual dryness. The sense of God’s presence may fade, and prayer may feel like an empty ritual.
  • Strained relationships: Burnout affects relationships. Irritability, impatience, and lack of emotional energy can strain marriages, friendships, family, and church family bonds.

There are a variety of root causes for burnout, which include the following:

• • Workload: Feeling chronically overloaded without enough opportunities to rest and recover.
  • Lack of control: Having little autonomy, limited access to resources, and no say in decisions.
  • Rewards: When extrinsic and intrinsic rewards don’t match the effort and time you put into your job.
  • Community: Unsupportive or untrusting relationships at work.
  • Fairness: Perceiving unfair or inequitable treatment.
  • Values: Mismatch between your values and those of your leaders or company.

Along with the above listed causes of burnout is yet another issue that is often the cause for a person to experience burnout, and that issue is …

SELF-MISMANAGMENT
Living life takes effort. Whether it’s navigating life’s assortment of relationships, building a career, or even serving God, doing anything of importance or value – or even of duty – demands our time and energy. But not managing well how we apply ourselves to life’s responsibilities or goals can actually lead to burnout. This self-mismanagement is alluded to by Christopher Ash in “Zeal Without Burnout” as he shares an analogy of a firefighter and burnout:

“Obviously you have to push yourself physically when fighting a fire. It’s a stretching experience that is uncomfortable and physically difficult … It’s foolishness to ignore your limitations, try to be the hero, and cramp up, pass out, or have a heart attack while in a burning structure because you’re beyond the limits of what God has supplied you with the capability of doing. It’s a form of heroic suicide that is counterproductive because you’re now no longer effective in fighting fire and the resources that were dedicated to fighting fire are now dedicated to saving you.”

In an article for Leadership Journal, Amy Simpson expands on the idea that self-mismanagement sometimes stems from selfishness. She writes:

But sometimes serving others is really about serving ourselves — and that’s when codependency enters the picture. People who are codependent serve to meet their own emotional needs and desires. They serve whether others really want to be served or not. They serve in ways that keep the people around them from growing, changing, and thriving. They serve and serve and serve, long past the point of health and true effectiveness, because they are addicted to what serving gives them: a sense of value, preservation of the status quo, dependency in others.

Solomon answered the call to serve as Israel’s king. And while he obeyed God for a time, he was led astray by his desire to be loved by his people rather than by God alone. How often do we do that? Do you serve others to make yourself feel good, or do you serve them to honor God?

Examples of serving God or others in such a self-mismanaged way that it leads to burnout, E. Skoglund, wrote the following in “Burning Out for God”:

Of nineteenth-century preacher Robert Murray McCheyne: After graduating from Edinburgh University at age fourteen in 1827 and leading a Presbyterian congregation of over a thousand at age twenty-three, he worked so hard that his health finally broke. Before dying at age twenty-nine he wrote, “God gave me a message to deliver and a horse to ride. Alas, I have killed the horse and now I cannot deliver the message.”

Of Peter Marshall, former chaplain of the U. S. Senate, “In Peter’s case, I am certain that it was not God’s ideal will that he die of coronary occlusion at forty-six” (Catherine Marshall, in “Something More”). After his first heart attack a friend asked, “I’m curious to know something. What did you learn during your illness?” “Do you really want to know?” Peter answered promptly. “I learned that the Kingdom of God goes on without Peter Marshall.”

This issue I call “self-mismanagement” refers to behaviors and habits that individuals engage in, sometimes unintentionally, which contribute to their own burnout. Here are some common ways in which self-mismanagement can lead to burnout:

• • Overly adaptable and people-pleasing: Some individuals constantly adapt to others’ needs and expectations, often at the expense of their own well-being. They may say yes to every request, take on additional tasks, and avoid setting boundaries. Over time, this can lead to exhaustion and burnout.
  • Perfectionism: Striving for unattainable perfection can be detrimental. When individuals set unrealistically high standards for themselves, they may work excessively, neglect self-care, and experience chronic stress. Perfectionists often fear failure or criticism, which exacerbates burnout risk.
  • Imposter syndrome: Feeling like an imposter — believing that one is not competent or deserving of their position — can lead to burnout. Imposters often work harder to prove themselves, leading to exhaustion and anxiety.
  • Workaholism: Some people become so engrossed in their work that they neglect other aspects of life. They may skip breaks, work long hours, and sacrifice personal time. This imbalance can contribute to burnout.
  • Lack of agency: Feeling powerless to change one’s situation — whether due to organizational constraints, personal beliefs, or external factors — can lead to burnout. When individuals perceive a lack of control, their stress levels rise.
  • Martyr syndrome: Martyr syndrome manifests as a belief that no one else can fulfill certain responsibilities or tasks adequately, leading individuals to shoulder an excessive burden or “martyr” themselves.

This “martyr syndrome” aspect of self-mismanagement is so common, and so negatively impacting, that’s it’s worth a closer look as to how a person can cause their own experience of burnout by mismanaging themselves. A person who fosters a martyr syndrome experience often irrationally struggles with the following:

• • Excessive responsibility: People with martyr syndrome often take on more than their fair share of responsibilities. They may believe that they alone can handle critical tasks or that others won’t perform them satisfactorily. Consequently, they sacrifice their own well-being to ensure everything gets done.
  • Fear of delegation: Martyrs resist delegating tasks because they fear that others won’t meet their high standards. They may think, “If I don’t do it, it won’t be done right.” This mindset perpetuates their self-imposed martyrdom.
  • Self-sacrifice: Faulty thinking — believing that no one else can do what needs to be done — leads to self-sacrifice. Martyrs willingly endure stress, exhaustion, and burnout, convinced that their sacrifices are necessary for the greater good.
  • Validation and identity: Some individuals derive their sense of identity and worth from being indispensable. They seek validation through their self-sacrificing behavior. Unfortunately, this pattern can be detrimental to their mental and physical (and spiritual) health.
  • Unrealistic expectations: Martyrs often hold unrealistic expectations of themselves and others. They assume that everyone should share their level of commitment and dedication. When reality falls short, they feel disappointed and martyred.
  • Negative consequences: The consequences of martyr syndrome include chronic stress, emotional exhaustion, and strained relationships. Over time, this pattern can lead to burnout and even physical health issues.

COUNTERMEASURES
Burnout is such a miserable experience it should be avoided at (almost) all costs. Following are some countermeasures to prevent self-mismanagement and reduce burnout:

• • Self-awareness: Recognize patterns of behavior that contribute to burnout. Understand your own tendencies, such as people-pleasing or perfectionism.
  • Set boundaries: Learn to say no when necessary. Prioritize appropriate self-care, rest, and leisure. Boundaries protect your well-being.
  • Challenge perfectionism: Discover the difference between perfectionism and striving for excellence in a healthy way. Focus on progress rather than flawless outcomes.
  • Acknowledge achievements: Celebrate your accomplishments, even small ones. With humility, learn to recognize your competence and value.
  • Be diligent in nurturing your spiritual well-being: learn to root your identity in Christ and find ultimate fulfillment and joy in knowing, loving, and serving Him.
  • Seek support: Reach out to friends, family, a pastor, church family, or a therapist. Discuss your feelings of inadequacy or burnout.

By all means, if you think you’re headed for burnout for any reason, get the help you need to head off burning out by making the necessary adjustments that can lead to times of refreshing and/or renewal.

Scotty