Imagine taking off work 4 weeks every year!
Think of the memories your family could make, the positive changes it would have in your spouse and kids, and the peace you might feel deep in your soul.
When you make regular time off work a priority, you often avoid burnout.
The reality is pastors like you don’t take enough time off work.
It’s causing serious problems in your personal life.
When working with pastors one of the main excuses I hear is: my church schedule is too full, and there is no space in the calendar for me to take that much time off.
Being away throughout the year is both necessary and possible.
If taking regular time off is not a habit for you, it should be.
Let’s talk about how you can make this a reality.
Hey Pastors!
A New Way
My husband, Travis and I used to take very little vacations. It wasn’t because we didn’t want to or didn’t have the money. We just never seemed to have the time. Like you, our calendar was always too full to take an entire week off to go anywhere.
Now, I am not a fan of new year’s resolutions or starting anything new in January. The calendar is about the only “new” thing I start at the beginning of the year.
But, one year when we were putting birthdays and anniversaries on our calendar, we decided to also add our time off work before anything else could take up that space.
This was a game changer!
Now, when other important dates are being decided they go around our pre-planned time off. We no longer have years where we miss our vacations because the calendar is filled up with other things.
We prioritize our time on the calendar first, before anything else.
Pre-Decide
Maybe it is time for you to make a similar change.
At the beginning of the year, write down on your home and church calendars when you will be off work. This way things like volunteer appreciation dinners and missionary meetings won’t be scheduled while you are away, or if they are people will know you won’t be attending.
Pre-decide that these weeks are non-negotiable for you.
You don’t have to choose right then what you are doing or where you are going when you are off. Just decide that these dates are reserved for yourself and your family.
This will also send a clear message to your spouse and kids that they are important. They come first. During these weeks they get your undivided attention. Everyone can look forward to it.
How Much Time
How much time off should you take every year?
This varies from pastor to pastor but should be given some deep thought.
I think taking some time off quarterly is a good idea so you can recharge regularly and always have something around the corner to look forward to. But some people like to take a large chunk all at once.
Neither of these choices is right or wrong.
The only wrong one in my opinion is not taking any time off at all!
If you are like my family though, I sometimes come home feeling like I need a vacation from my vacation. I return physically tired, so I take a few extra days off on the back end to rest and recharge.
Who Gets My Time Off?
It might be in your best interest to spend your vacation time in different ways.
You might want to divide up your annual time off between
• Your whole family
• Only your spouse
• Time alone in solitude
Whatever the best ways for you to divide it up it should be intentional and with much thought.
Do It Consistently
I have heard many people say,
“Successful people do consistently, what most people do occasionally.”
Pastors who are better at taking all their annual time off avoid burnout better than those who don’t.
At my house, when we made the change from taking regular time off occasionally to doing it consistently, it played huge dividends in our lives also. Now, we work while avoiding burnout and prioritize our family and you can too.
When I’m talking with pastors, and the topic of vacations comes up pastors get uncomfortable.
Most of you agree you don’t take enough time off and often work during it.
Whether you take vacation consistently or occasionally you are sending a clear message to your family, your church leaders and yourself about your priorities.
Are you sending them the message you that you are intending to?
So, make it a priority to put vacations on your calendar before it gets filled up. Decide that your family and rest are important enough for you to do something about it.
Jesus found the time to get away and you should also.
May you pastor from Wholeness.