“Fatigued leaders don’t consider vision beyond the end of this workday. While not ignoring the “big picture,” strengthen your vision for one area of the church about which you are passionate. Talk to local leaders about needs in your community. Your vision will expand when you see again the world outside your church.”

Previously, I posted on “13 Signs of Leadership Fatigue.” Several readers asked me to write a follow up post about ways to deal with these signs. Maybe these suggestions will help you move past leadership fatigue.

1. Living by a “get me through the day” philosophy – You may begin the day with prayer, but surviving the day is your prayer theme.

• Ask God each day to help you see glimpses of His work like an answered prayer or a restored relationship.
• Actually watch for those glimpses. Trust that God will show you

2. Losing vision – Fatigued leaders don’t consider vision beyond the end of this workday.

• While not ignoring the “big picture,” strengthen your vision for one area of the church about which you are passionate.
• Talk to local leaders about needs in your community. Your vision will expand when you see again the world outside your church.

3. Developing poor sleep patterns – The patterns may vary, but in any case, you’re exhausted.

• Read scriptures that address resting in God (e.g., Psa. 4:8, Prov. 3:24), and let the Word of God bring you comfort.
• If the patterns persist, consider talking to your physician – just in case some other underlying cause is present.

4. Declining spiritual disciplines –Weariness leaves little room for anything like Bible study and prayer that requires “discipline.”

• Reading one more verse a day or praying one more minute each day is positive. So, do that – read a little more, and pray a little longer each day.
• Take a brief retreat from the needs of the people around you (Luke 5:15-16). It’s not only okay to get away from people to be with God; it’s necessary.

5. Repeating lessons and sermons – Finding something in the file is much less draining than the hard work of praying about and developing a sermon or lesson.

• Invite a guest speaker for a week. That guest might have something to say to you while you rest.
• Teach through a shorter book of the Bible. Its brevity will help you stay focused, and the intentionality of study will revive you.

6. Faking joy and excitement – Few actions are more exhausting than pretending to have joy you don’t have.

• Bear your soul before God. He won’t be surprised by your thoughts.
• Do something in your ministry that really does excite you. If it’s taking a church member to a ball game, do it. If it’s sitting in the woods and praying, do that.

7. Frustrating family members – Leaders who fight to get through the day often dump on their family when they get home.

• Don’t talk about work for the first two hours at home. Spend that time focusing on your family.
• Give your spouse permission to say, “Honey, you’re dumping too much on me” – and then stop.

8. Magnifying minors – What seemed insignificant last month is unexpectedly huge when we’re tired.

• It might sound silly, but count to ten (or 100, if needed) or take a walk before determining what’s really important.
• Ask yourself, “Will this issue really matter a year from now?” If not, file it under “Not as important as I thought.”

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