Leaders and Professionals Avoiding Burnout Draw From Reserves

Having a reserve means you have something kept back for future use, something extra. You are not demanding more than you have available. It means you are ready to meet any daily need or emergency that demands those resources. 

Reserves do not imply that we don’t give life our all. It does imply that God made us capable of managing ourselves in such a way that our availability to the Lord is not cut short by our own lack of understanding of the resources that God made available to us.

A good biblical example comes from the Joseph’s measures to provide for a coming famine in Egypt. (Gen 41:35, 36) “Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.”              

WHAT KIND OF RESERVES ARE THERE?

A random list of 18 reserves mentioned by some of my clients is below. Notice how diverse they are. You and I might add other areas to it, unique to each one of us.

1. Discretionary time: Having lots of time to stop, think, relax or do what you want.
2. Assistance: Having more than enough people in place so you never ever have to do it.
3. Rest: Getting the kind of sleep and relaxation that your body and soul specifically need.
4. Stability: Having a completely stable home and work environment around you.
5. Momentum: Having more than enough positive, forward and motivational motion.
6. Personal Quiet Time: Never, ever having to rush your time alone with the Lord.
7. Structure: You have a framework for living so you always know where you are at.
8. Money: Having more than enough, so money, bills and the future is never a worry.
9. Information: You always have access to all the information you need, when needed.
10. Love: Your daily life is full of rich, real, caring and mutual relationships.
11. Physical Space: Expansive and energizing areas always surround you.
12. Emotional Energy: You receive more than you give out, always having a joyful soul.
13. Physical Energy: You have all the physical get up and go you need, and more.
14. Time for Prayer: Other than emergency, your prayer time never gets bumped by anything.
15. Opportunities: You have created a pool of opportunity of fulfilling things to do.
16. Wisdom: You have 24-hour access to wise, godly people and resources around you.
17. Outdoor Environment: Never a day goes by when you don’t enjoy the outdoors.
18. Stimulating Surroundings: You surround yourself with things that energize you.

These leaders and professionals know that having sufficient and extra of any of these elements would enable them to have choices instead of always trying to scramble to make up what’s missing.