I have a friend back to my primary school named Bakar. In short we called him 'Burn' because it's easy and fun to pronounce. Since he don't mind about it (I don't know about now), we started calling him that way and sometimes it confusing others when we shouted, 'Burn! Burn! Burn!' assuming that there's a fire going on. We love it! Our teachers at first disallowed us to called him that way, but soon okay with it because you see... Bakar one day came to the class with his sun burn face.Burn out; what does it mean?
Simply states as: To make or become exhausted, especially as a result of long-term stress.(www.Freedictionary.com) My friend told me, "Richie, I don't want to do this anymore. I'm tired... I lost the joy of serving in my church and study in my campus." His expressing was weak and I can see that he was emotionally stressed. As much as I want to say something that day, I just couldn't - I don't know what to say. There're times when you don't need to answer or say anything and expect to have all the answers figure out. Honestly, if possible I try to get away from troubles. But this I can't, he's my friend. We talked all night long and I inserted some jokes to release his face muscles tension due to stress.
Soon, I realized that what causes him to burn out was this:
■Having too much work (assignments and extracurricular activities such as clubs, sports, church or volunteer work) "Can you reduce some of the activities?", I asked. He said, "I can't."
■Relationship problems. Friends avoided him (He though so, but not sure), he want to have a girlfriend but none responds to him.
■Parent pressure. His parents want him to succeed in school be a good boy, having a good grades and they also want to see him excell in club and attending church activities. At first, he said, "I enjoy it all. But over time, I find that I MUST do this instead of WANT to do this." That was profound, I wrotes what he said.
■Lack of rest.
Are you burn out? Don't want to study anymore? Don't want to work any more? Give up on the project? Not attending church regularly? Feeling of no purpose of directions? Never ending task or work? Doing this and that and soon find out that none can satisfy you? Are you burn out? Depression, hopelessness, difficulty of concentrating, inability to sleep, lack of interest; work no longer has any meaning, loss appetite, overeating... Are you burn out?
As I'm writing this, I'm surrounded by books, so I browsed some good stuff of suggestions for me and you to overcome burn-out or for us to help people from burn out:
1) Take a break and learn the art of relaxing. "I don't have time! I'm busy.", he said to me. 'Well friend, you are not busy at all. You talked with me all night long."
2) Take regular time off. You aren't called to work harder than your Creator. After 6 'sessions' of creation, God rested on the 7th. (Genesis 1 and 2) Jesus said, 'Come apart and rest awhile.' If you don't rest awhile, you'll soon come apart!
3) Get proper exercise and sleep. 1 year ago I don't dare to say this, but since I practiced it, I'm more and ought to urge you to exercise and sleep well. (I don't ask anyone to do what I didn't do myself)
4) I love this, Have fun! To belong to the kingdom you have to be like little children. They aren't bothered about piles of correspondence or running the world. "Do something! And laugh sometimes! Did you know your body will not let you laugh and develop an ulcer at the same time? Remember, with humourist Kin Hubbard: 'Do not take life too seriously; you will never get out of it alive!'" (Rowland Croucher)
5) Pray and surrender your burden to our 'Big God'! Yesterday, I watched a video from Louie Giglio on 'How Great is Our God' tour, he describing on how tiny we are in the face of the universe. Its okay not to achieved everything... let go some of it. Don't burn yourself out too much.
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