I realize I’ve used this sloth photo (taken at the zoo in Omaha) with so many blog posts in the past but I seriously never get tired of it. And it’s more than a little fitting…
So I was talking with a friend recently about productivity and sleep. And how sometimes they feel mutually exclusive. In fact, here’s some of the conversation pasted straight from facebook. (And no, this is not my lazy version of writing a blog post. Or okay, fine, maybe that’s exactly what it is.)
My friend:
So I can either get sleep and feel good and not get as much done. OR I can not get much sleep, be more productive but feel kinda not good and exhausted most days. Those options aren’t fair!
Me:
Yes, those options are unfair and I empathize completely. But here is something I was JUST thinking about the other day when it comes to feeling burnt out and exhausted and somewhat over-committed: I would rather feel tired and sometimes too busy but excited or at least assured about what I’m doing than be completely rested and have tons of extra time but sort of feel wishy-washy about life in general and what I’m doing with it. Know what I mean?
I mean, ideally, a person lives a purpose-filled, awesome life WHILE having free time and getting lots of rest. But sometimes that option isn’t there for a season. And I always think of being burnt out as this bad thing…but when a candle is burnt out, its served its purpose right? It did what it was supposed to. Not that constantly running and wearing yourself down physically is a good thing…but sometimes exhaustion after a day or week or month or six months spent pursuing what we’re passionate about or what we feel like God has put in front of us, well, maybe that’s a good kind of exhaustion.
That was the conversation. And I keep going back to those thoughts in my head lately because, moment of truth: I AM burnt out. Or at least close to it.
I’m behind on just about everything. (Although if my agent or editor is reading this, no worries! My book is totally going to get written by deadline. LOL! And if my boss is reading this, I promise not to miss any major grant deadlines. And if my mom is reading this, I swear I’m eating meals and sleeping. Kind of.)
But seriously, I’m tired. And I don’t say that to complain or throw a pity-party or anything annoying like that. It’s just where I am. And honestly, I’m kind of okay with it.
Thing is, I think sometimes we can mistakenly assume that if we’re busy or exhausted or on the brink of burnout, we’re doing it wrong. We’re messing up. We’re overcommitted or failing to prioritize .
And sure, sometimes that’s totally the case.
But other times…other times we’re just in a season. And that season requires hard work. The kind that wears you out. Even burns you out. That good, candle kind of burnout where you can look back and say, “Holy crap, I feel completely empty…but it’s because I gave everything I had. I didn’t hold back. I did the work.”
Yeah, we need rest. We need time to refuel and make sure we’re being intentional in how we fill our days.
But sometimes, for a stretch, maybe exhaustion is okay. Like a marathon runner who gets to the end of a race and throws up and feels like she’s going to DIE…but also feels amazing. And invigorated. And crazy as it is, already starts looking forward to the next race.
I’m in a bit of a marathon season right now. But that’s okay. Because this is where God has me…for today. For all I know, everything’s going to change tomorrow. Or next month. Or in a year.
But for the moment, instead of comparing myself to the people who seem to get plenty of rest and never appear rushed and look as put-together as I do undone, I’m going to be cool with here and today and now, even if it leaves me a little breathless.
After all, I think sometimes the things that leave us most breathless are the things we’re most made for.
Those are my thoughts, but what about yours? Do you think burnout can ever be a good thing? Is there a good kind of exhausted?
Comments 20
Oh, Melissa, I so totally know where you are coming from! Last year I committed to doing a workshop at a conference in Memphis. And while I don’t usually wait until the last minute to do something, for some reason I thought a year was a looong way off. But I didn’t know I’d be in the middle of 2 edits and working on a new book when I needed to be creating the workshop. lol. But you’re right. God gives you a season sometimes when it seems you can’t catch up. But He has it. He knows what’s coming. Finished edits on the book due Tuesday. Finished workshop last night. Now for the last edit…then I can get to work on the book. 🙂
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Two edits AND a new book AND a workshop ALL during your debut book’s release? You are amazing, Pat. Glad you got the workshop done. Hope you have fun presenting it.
Well said Melissa. I like the idea of a marathon season. You may be tired but are definitely doing good work, like motivating me!
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And you are doing good work too, Clay…like basically spoon-feeding me this blog post. 🙂
Yes! You’re absolutely right. There are so many times when I’ve been exhausted and burnt out and I think: I’m doing something wrong! But most often, I’m just using up every available store of energy because I’m working hard. My best example was having the twins, with a 3 year old and 5 year old in the house. I was exhausted beyond exhausted for two years straight–seriously. And I used to think: what’s wrong with me? I must be doing something wrong. No, I was just using up my energy. It’s good (and so important) to get rest (it’s a commandment after all), but it’s because we are called to work hard the rest of the time that we need that relaxation.
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I can’t imagine having newborn twins and a 3- and 5-year-old at the same time. 🙂 Makes me tired just thinking about it.
I like that you used a marathon as an example!!! I’ll pray that God will give you rest DURING your busy season. Love you and miss you!
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Totally thought of you as I wrote the marathon line, Laura. Love and miss you, too. Come to Des Moines sometime!!
Sorry that was bossy. Pleeeease come to Des Moines sometime.
I like it. The only hard part is knowing when it’s a good thing and when God’s calling you to rest. Because I tend to overdo things and go till I drop. The key part is giving all we’ve got and then leaning on God to take us the rest of the way. That’s something I’ve very cognizant of this year, since LEAN is my word for 2014!! 🙂
And thankfully, we have some rest coming up in a week. That will be soooo good!
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It’s true, Linz. I suppose all of us have those times when we get TOO marathon-y and don’t hear those whispers from God that are like, hey, slow down…and then we crash…and God’s like, if you just woulda listened… 🙂
I like your word for the year.
And I LOVE that I get to hang out with you next week.
Great post, Melissa! I completely agree. I find that it’s in the crazy-how-am-I-going-to-get-this-done moments that I lean most on God. Although I do need to work on my quiet time more, I think you’re right–to keep with the running analogy, God made some of us sprinters–we race and then we rest!
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Love what you said about it being in the crazy seasons that you most lean on God. It’s so true. I just read something the other day that said when you’re in a situation that has you anxious or overwhelmed, to thank God for it…because it’s another opportunity to depend on him. I love that!
Melissa, hear-hear! Loved your heart this morning and I’m covering you in prayer!
I tend to overdo, and like you said, sometimes it’s because we’ve stretched ourselves too thin. I think there IS a “good exhaustion” but we have to temper that with balance. Personally, it’s spring break next week at our house and I’m taking the week off from blogging and a few other things (though I’ll probably still write some). I’m looking forward to some R and R, time with my family, and recharging.
xo
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Thanks for the prayers, Cindy. And yeah, I agree, balance is good. Even crazy people who run marathons have to balance–they have days when they train long distances and days when they give their body a break. They try to go into races well-rested and properly-fed and hydrated. They prep for the marathon and then give themselves recovery time afterward. So, those marathon seasons go all the better when we go into them prepped and emerge from them for some R&R.
Thought-provoking perspective, Melissa. One that adds a recharge to those of us in the middle of the marathon (which, let’s face it, is all of us). Living with passion can be exhausting b/c it means pouring out of our hearts over and over again. But I think if we’re really pursuing the things God’s called us to, then he’ll be faithful to continually refill what we pour out. And if that passion is from him, then exhaustion is a worthy cost.
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Love what you said about God being faithful to refill us…it’s true! And yeah…I would much rather be passionately exhausted than listlessly rested. 🙂
I’m one of those people who probably falls into the “I’m doing something wrong” category. I’ve not thought of it this way, Melissa, so thank you for offering an alternative on the whole “feeling burnt out” perspective – you’ve offered some great thoughts.
Hope things slow down soon for you, Melissa.
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You know, I think that “doing something wrong” mindset creeps in because society or culture or sometimes even Christian culture (emphasis on the “sometimes”) can make us feel as if we should all look like that amazing person who fits in everything, has the most organized schedule and family and closet and desk and gets everything done WHILE getting eight hours of sleep every night. Because, after all, we’re told if we’re following God’s will, then he won’t give us more than we can handle. (Which I think is kind of faulty if well-meaning theology.) Sometimes I look at people like David or Paul in the Bible, whose lives were c-r-a-z-y. They weren’t all well-organized and scheduled and I’m pretty sure David wasn’t getting tons of sleep while hiding out in caves or Paul in prison…and even when they weren’t running for their lives or imprisoned, they were pursuing a purpose and a passion that probably wiped them out mentally and physically many days!
So…yeah, we need to take care of ourselves. We need to be smart. But we also need to be passionate and determined and not afraid of hard work or the seasons of exhaustion that come along with it.
And now that I’ve basically written a second blog post, I will be quiet. 🙂
(And thanks for the hope that things will slow down soon. I’m taking a mini-vacay next week, which is much needed and is going to be fabulous!)
To me, there is no greater feeling than to stumble into bed at the moment after I became unable to keep my eyes open one more second, completely used up and empty. That means I gave all I had during that particular day. That is THE BEST sleep aid I know of! Thanks for yet another amazing post, Melissa.
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You’re right, that IS a good feeling at the end of a day, Reba. Also, I’m expecting you to show up in Arizona later this week… 🙂