The Secret Cost Of Leadership

As a young man that aspired to be a fruitful pastor and leader I pondered what I needed to learn and grow in…

Of course this meant learning how to study the Bible and build a powerful prayer life…

It meant learning how to cast vision and lead teams…

And it meant preaching inspiring messages with people streaming to the altars to receive Jesus!

But you know what it didn't include?

Rest!

That lesson came later…

And at a higher cost.

Several years ago I found myself in the unexpected beginning stages of burnout.

I started losing my passion for my favorite things.

There was no joy in reading or my other favorite hobbies.

I was tired and irritable far more of the time than reasonable.

Even though I felt physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted I couldn’t really rest.

I didn’t sleep well and I certainly couldn’t relax.

Vacation didn’t appeal to me.

And no matter what anyone said or did it didn’t make it better.

I had to take a good hard look in the mirror and wake up to the reality that I was experiencing burnout.

And it wasn’t anyone’s fault but mine.

I’d pushed past the warning signs and chosen to work that extra hour into the evening…

Or take that appointment…

Or stay up too late and wake up too early.

I’d feel driven to work even when I didn’t have any pressing things to do.

By the grace of God I reached out to some trusted people in my life and they shared the hard truth with me.

“Jake, you need to slow down, let go, and rest.”

I ended up making some big changes in my life.

I closed down a few side-projects, narrowed my focus, and began to prioritize rest and recuperation.

Here’s the secret cost of leadership.

We’re human.

We’re finite.

Everything you do takes not just time but also, energy!

And that tank needs to get refilled.

Not just the ordinary, everyday tank of energy.

A good night’s sleep takes care of that.

I’m talking about the long-term drain on your human battery!

I call it a secret cost because it’s not always obvious.

It can sneak up on you.

By no means am I a pro at rest…

I’m a humble learner when it comes to the discipline (yes, I said discipline) of rest.

Here are some of the key areas:

1) Disconnect.

Turn your phone off or leave it at home.

Don’t allow constant connectivity to rule your thoughts and emotions.

2) Pursue hobbies apart from your work.

I started playing indoor soccer with friends from church.

It’s a total blast and it’s NOT ministry or sermon writing, or mental work.

It’s physical and competitive.

On the team I’m “one of the guys” not the “leader” like I am in almost every other environment.

This has been a refreshing hobby!

3) Plan to rest.

Yeah, rest is work.

At least in advance planning!

You’ve got to book those days off and map out your schedule so you can truly be “off!”

4) Get enough sleep.

Sleep is way more important than I realized.

And the quality of your sleep matters not just the quantity.

It’s always wise to invest in the right education and tools to win with sleep.

Wearables can help set up a great night’s sleep.

I much prefer them to any type of medication.

Here’s a great offer for a device that can help with your sleep…

5) Be ruthless with rest.

A few weeks ago I got a text from a well meaning church member.

He said, “So and so is in the hospital and a call from you would really make a difference…”

On the surface it’s a good thing to do.

What would the harm be?

Aren’t I supposed to help people?

Yes!

But, it was my day off so I turned my phone off and went on with my day.

Sounds ruthless…I struggled with the decision for a few minutes.

But then I remembered something…

A healthy, rested leader can help more people for longer.

We’re running a marathon…not a sprint!

On days off, be OFF!

That means being ruthless when it comes to rest.

If you don’t rule your schedule it will rule you.

Hope that helps!

Well, that’s all I have for you today…

Now I’ve got to rest!

Have an awesome day,

Pastor Jake