If you decide to start taking care of yourself, the next question is, “What exactly, is self-care?”
Pastors are the epitome of taking care of others. Dare I say pastors for the most part aren’t great about taking care of themselves.
Self-care in its simplest form, the term self-care means, of course, caring for yourself. Hence, self-care includes any activity; physical, mental, social, or spiritual that optimizes your health. In addition to days off and annual vacation, the following list of daily activities may enhance your quality of life and improve your work performance.
- Learn to say “no”. For those of us who grew up thinking that we needed to say yes, saying ‘no’ becomes difficult. Realize that no is a complete sentence. “No.” You do not need to explain, apologize, or feel guilty. You have every right to make decisions about what you will not do.
- Soften your no. Try using “but” in your answer. For example, “I would love to help plan the church’s camping trip next month, but I made a commitment not to take on any new responsibilities at this time.
- Try, “That does not fit (or work) for me right now. It may sound something like, “I hear you would prefer to set church board meetings for all day Sunday, but that does not fit for me with my home duties.” It is still ‘no’ but in a softer form.
- Get enough sleep. An adequate amount of sleep is a biological necessity for our physical and mental well-being. Most adults need seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night. Furthermore, to function at optimal levels, you need to rest, repair, and recover from daily stress on the mind and body, and a good night’s sleep will do just that. Here are a few suggestions to help make that happen. (1) setting a regular, early bedtime; (2) making your bedroom as dark as possible, especially eliminating ambient light from electronics; (3) avoiding sleep-depriving substances like caffeine; (4) letting go of emotional stress and worry at the end of the day.
- Getting regular exercise. Geeting the body moving will increase your circulation, boost your energy, mood, and cognition; reduce stress, and improve performance. Get moving!
- Eat healthy. Your food is your fuel. Eating a healthy balanced diet is essential for maintaining vibrant health and can help you feel more energized. Your body needs the right kind of food to perform at its best.
- Practice gratitude. Practicing gratitude frequently will help you develop positive emotions, resulting in better sleep and more drive during the day. Find two or three things that you are grateful for each day and verbalize them to the Lord where they came from to begin with right?
- Laugh often. When it comes to relieving stress, more giggles are just what the doctor ordered. …”a merry heart does good like a medicine.” Proverbs 17:22 Furthermore, when you laugh it lightens your load mentally. It also includes changes in your body, soothes tension, relieves pain, and improves your mood.
NOW IS THE TIME!
Pastoral self-care is not rocket science! It does reflect your values and philosophy. Often it is caught rather than taught. But it can be a matter of life and death, in a major way.
Are you ready to enter into the joy of our Lord? God is calling you to act right away. Start taking care of yourself, for it is in the end, the best way to fulfill your ministerial responsibilities.
The Kingdom Partnership
Richard Creek; Founder & Director
www.thekingdompartnership.us
402.297.6876
