Helping You Navigate Life's Challenges
About Burnout
Definition of Burnout
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), burnout is the "physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion accompanied by decreased motivation, lowered performance, and negative attitudes toward oneself and others. It results from performing at a high level until stress and tension, especially from extreme and prolonged physical or mental exertion or an overburdening workload, take their toll." [1]
Susceptibility to Burnout
According to the APA, this issue is most often observed in professionals who work in service-oriented vocations (e.g., social workers, teachers, correctional officers) and experience chronic high levels of stress. Furthermore, it can be particularly acute in therapists or counselors doing trauma work and those who feel overwhelmed by the cumulative secondary trauma of witnessing the effects. [2]
Symptoms and Warning Signs of Burnout
According to Rebecca Clay, in addition to the symptoms listed above, many people who suffer from burnout reported feeling:
- Cynical
- Detached
- Exhausted
- Overwhelmed
- Ineffective at Accomplishing Goals
- Unimportant to their Organizations [3]
Burnout Within the Church
Some church staff mistakenly believe they are immune to burnout because they do God's work, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Consider the following observations:
- Margaret Clarke’s research revealed that burnout within church staff decreases their ministry effectiveness, lowers their sense of personal accomplishment, and adversely affects their families. [4]
- Tifani Hanley studied burnout among church staff and concluded it places them at risk of experiencing compassion fatigue. [5]
- Laura Upenicks’ work confirmed that church staff benefit by honoring Christ and serving others. Yet, the substantial demands of fulfilling several roles can induce strain and stress, leading to burnout. [6]
Considering this information, it seems clear that everyone is susceptible to burnout and could benefit from a self-care plan that builds resilience against it. Please return to the Services page to learn how MVCC can help you accomplish that goal.
Footnotes
1. American Psychological Association Dictionary of Psychology, s.v. “Burnout,” accessed November 13, 2023, https://dictionary.apa.org/burnout/.
2. American Psychological Association Dictionary of Psychology, s.v. “Burnout."
3. “Are You Burned Out?” CE Corner, Rebecca A. Clay, last modified February 2018, https://www.apa.org/monitor/2018/02/ce-corner#:~:text=According%20to%20psychologist%20 Christina%20Maslach,lack%20of%20accomplishment%20(%20Maslach%20Burnout/.
4. Margaret A. Clarke, “Understanding Clergy Resilience: A Mixed Methods Research Study” (PhD diss., University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, 2021), 6, https://harvest.usask.ca/bitstream/handle/10388/13496/CLARKE-DISSERTATION-2021.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y/.
5. Tifani-Crystal Enid Hanley, “Compassion Fatigue, Self-Care, and Clergy Members: How Social Workers Can Help” (master’s thesis, California State University, San Bernadino, 2019), 1, https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd/820/.
6. Laura Upenieks and David E. Eagle, "Divine Struggles Among Those Doing God’s Work: A Longitudinal Assessment Predicting Depression and Burnout and the Role of Social Support in United Methodist Clergy," Sociology of Religion (2023): 1,