Burnout: Defined and Possible Causes (Part 1 of 6)

I started a ministry called Cup of Cool Water (CCW) in 1995. Cup of Cool Water’s mission is to walk alongside youth who are homeless on their journey of reconciliation with themselves, God, and society. This mission is accomplished through developing healthy relationships and services. As of January 1, 2020, I no longer work there. I passed the reins off to another team. During my journey at CCW I was on the verge of burnout and some would probably say that at many points I did suffer from burnout. So, I thought I would spend a few blog posts writing about my experience with burnout.

This specific post will define and give some causes of burnout. In future blog posts I will look at some symptoms and consequences as well as four life changes I had to make to help combat burnout.

Specifically, in ministries and the social work field burnout is an epidemic that needs to be combated. I am sure it happens in other fields of work I have only worked in the social service field. Over the years I have heard that the average youth pastor lasts about 3 years before they are burnt out. Likewise, the average social work last about 18 months before they are burnt out. I looked all over the internet to find proof of these statistics however I came up empty except for one. I wish I could remember what website I got this from, it said;

“The State of Washington expects that 20% of their social workers leave the profession each year. This exodus causes a huge strain on the system that hurts vulnerable children and families.”

It went on to explain that the reason for this migration is toxic work environments, heavy caseloads, and little support for secondary/vicarious trauma. If this is true, then agencies need to be talking about and creating policies that help their employees manage and reduce burnout.

According to https://www.google.com/searchq=burnout+definition&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS881US881&oq=burnout&aqs=chrome.3.69i57j0l7.5175j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

burnout is, in this context, simply be defined as:

physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress.

Physical and mental collapse can be the result of many different factors. According to the website, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-2004664 there are 6 possible causes of burnout. Job burnout can result from various factors, including:

· Lack of control. An inability to influence decisions that affect your job — such as your schedule, assignments or workload — could lead to job burnout. So could a lack of the resources you need to do your work.

· Unclear job expectations. If you're unclear about the degree of authority you have or what your supervisor or others expect from you, you're not likely to feel comfortable at work.

· Dysfunctional workplace dynamics. Perhaps you work with an office bully, or you feel undermined by colleagues or your boss micromanages your work. This can contribute to job stress.

· Extremes of activity. When a job is monotonous or chaotic, you need constant energy to remain focused — which can lead to fatigue and job burnout.

· Lack of social support. If you feel isolated at work and in your personal life, you might feel more stressed.

· Work-life imbalance. If your work takes up so much of your time and effort that you don't have the energy to spend time with your family and friends, you might burn out quickly.

I know there are many more possible causes of burnout. However, this is a good start of the conversation.

How would you define burnout? What are some other possible causes? Have you experienced any of these issues? Do you feel either burnt out or on the edge of burnout? If so, I would love to talk with you.

(the photo came from a internet search on burnout)