Being "burned out"

[Fether]

This phrase bugged me on my mission and I recently saw it pop up again in a conversation.

As a missionary, we heard some members say "You are burning out us members with all this 'asking to teach lessons with you'" or I heard it from other missionaries when they say "We don't want to keep asking members to teach with us cause we don't want to burn them out". 

I heard it again when there were a lot of required duties and only a few active participants and the phrase "you can't burn them out with all these duties."

This always bugged me and I don't know why. I understand that the gospel is more than just missionary work and that doing nothing but missionary work isn't how we are to live the gospel, but what do we do when there are more duties than there are people to do them? Is being "burnt out" a thing or is it just a cultural phrase that we accept as a logical excuse to not do work when it gets not only hard, but intensely burdensome?

thoughts?

[Blueskye2]

It's now "fatigue". People have change fatigue. Meeting fatigue. Marketing fatigue. Etc. 

[zil]

People must sleep an appropriate amount or they get sick (and / or stupid).

The human body has biological necessities which require time to accommodate (the worst part of mortality ever).

People must maintain employment (or live off your fast offering).

People must maintain their family relationships (this is supposed to take priority over church service).

People must dedicate time to their own callings and personal spiritual development.

Add all that up and there's precious little time left in the week for one to do much of anything.  Yes, burn-out is real.  Yes, some use it as a cop-out.  What to do when there are insufficient people to do the work which needs doing?  Prioritize, minimize, get efficient.

[priesthoodpower]

I really appreciate those members that recognize that they are getting more out of their service then the ones they are serving even if it is hard and burdensome. I think it helps to be in a ward that you love because service turns into friendship and being around friends is fun.

 

[CV75]

14 hours ago, Fether said:

This phrase bugged me on my mission and I recently saw it pop up again in a conversation.

As a missionary, we heard some members say "You are burning out us members with all this 'asking to teach lessons with you'" or I heard it from other missionaries when they say "We don't want to keep asking members to teach with us cause we don't want to burn them out". 

I heard it again when there were a lot of required duties and only a few active participants and the phrase "you can't burn them out with all these duties."

This always bugged me and I don't know why. I understand that the gospel is more than just missionary work and that doing nothing but missionary work isn't how we are to live the gospel, but what do we do when there are more duties than there are people to do them? Is being "burnt out" a thing or is it just a cultural phrase that we accept as a logical excuse to not do work when it gets not only hard, but intensely burdensome?

thoughts?

I think it is an insufficiency of "unwearyingness" and "wisdom and order".

[Rob Osborn]

22 hours ago, Fether said:

This phrase bugged me on my mission and I recently saw it pop up again in a conversation.

As a missionary, we heard some members say "You are burning out us members with all this 'asking to teach lessons with you'" or I heard it from other missionaries when they say "We don't want to keep asking members to teach with us cause we don't want to burn them out". 

I heard it again when there were a lot of required duties and only a few active participants and the phrase "you can't burn them out with all these duties."

This always bugged me and I don't know why. I understand that the gospel is more than just missionary work and that doing nothing but missionary work isn't how we are to live the gospel, but what do we do when there are more duties than there are people to do them? Is being "burnt out" a thing or is it just a cultural phrase that we accept as a logical excuse to not do work when it gets not only hard, but intensely burdensome?

thoughts?

Being burned out in this sense can be likened to redundancy or unnecesary tasks that meets no goal.

[Guest MormonGator]

Yes, many converts can feel burned out. You are asked to make drastic life changes that include volunteering, giving money, spending a huge time commitment-your friends and family don't know what's going on, why you aren't hanging out with them anymore, why you've quit doing this or that habit, why you can't go out on Sunday. Sometimes the church wonders why converts don't stick around? It's not sinful behavior, it's the fact that they feel burned out and can't talk to anyone about it. 

[Fether]

6 minutes ago, MormonGator said:

Yes, many converts can feel burned out. You are asked to make drastic life changes that include volunteering, giving money, spending a huge time commitment-your friends and family don't know what's going on, why you aren't hanging out with them anymore, why you've quit doing this or that habit, why you can't go out on Sunday. Sometimes the church wonders why converts don't stick around? It's not sinful behavior, it's the fact that they feel burned out and can't talk to anyone about it. 

I'm more referencing those grown up in the church, not so much the new converts.

[Guest]

When I was in France as a missionary, some of the members had four or five callings at a time.  This was the case because the branches were sometimes only one or two active families, with maybe fifteen people there on a typical Sunday.    

Nonetheless, I did see a couple of people decide they were too stressed with all of their responsibility, and quit coming to Church altogether.

So, burnout is a real thing, and I would suggest local leadership to keep this in mind as they pray for inspiration about where to put people.  

[Guest MormonGator]

13 minutes ago, Fether said:

I'm more referencing those grown up in the church, not so much the new converts.

Well, it's out there for converts now too, I guess. 

[Sunday21]

I just got out of hospital for heart problems. 2.5 days in hospital. Back to work tomorrow. I am beat. 

[Guest]

It's a hard balance. I have an emotion- and time-demanding calling at maybe the most rigorous time in my life. On one hamd, it gets to be a lot to deal with; on the other hand, I feel I need the blessings and grounding effect of serving.

[Guest]

46 minutes ago, Sunday21 said:

I just got out of hospital for heart problems. 2.5 days in hospital. Back to work tomorrow. I am beat. 

I am so sorry!  Are you OK?

[Sunday21]

10 minutes ago, DoctorLemon said:

I am so sorry!  Are you OK?

Thanks! I am some tired! 

[The Folk Prophet]

My view: When I feel stressed about the time it takes for any given church related thing I find that it's typical a trial of my faith, and when I find a way to commit and do whatever said thing it may be that I actually do have the time and I am blessed and grow. If an when I reject said church related things and fail to be blessed and grow accordingly, it's on me. It has nothing to do with those who ask me to step up and do said thing.

[Sunday21]

2 hours ago, Eowyn said:

It's a hard balance. I have an emotion- and time-demanding calling at maybe the most rigorous time in my life. On one hamd, it gets to be a lot to deal with; on the other hand, I feel I need the blessings and grounding effect of serving.

YW is a very important but exhausting calling!