Profess Creatives

I want you to imagine yourself as an oil lamp for a moment. I know its a bit weird but stay with me…

A nice shiny brass build. Flame burning consistently and brightly. Then suddenly, the flame starts flickering and flickering.

POOF! The flame goes out and smoke fades the black surroundings.

No matter the size or shape of lamp, without replenishing the oil, the lamp’s fire will eventually burn out.

We’re just like lamps. And the maintenance of our selves—both spiritually and creatively—determines our longevity and stamina to live and create to our fullest capacity.

What is Burnout?

Let’s break it down:

Burnout is the exhaustion of strength or motivation due to prolonged stress. Burnout can be physical, spiritual, mental, creative or professional among other types.

In our fast-paced society that demands constant output, burnout has become a widespread issue affecting many prophetic artists like you.

Signs of Burnout

Here are some telltale signs you are burnt out:

• Constant exhaustion
• Dislike for your work
• Feelings of depression or anxiety
• Irritability
• Difficulty focusing
• Trouble sleeping
• Persistent physical ailments

Deeper Effects of Burnout

Beyond these symptoms lie deeper effects that impact every aspect of your life:

Physical Health: Chronic fatigue, sleep disturbances, decreased immunity and irregular eating patterns as a result of stress.

Spiritual Well-being: Feeling disconnected from God, feeling like you’re not walking in purpose, wanting to isolate yourself from spiritual community and forsaking spiritual disciplines (prayer, fasting, worship, reading the bible).

Mental Health: Emotional exhaustion, anxiety, depression, difficulty concentrating and memory problems.

Creativity: lack of inspiration, difficulty generating new ideas and feeling unconfident about your work.

Professional Life: Reduced productivity, job dissatisfaction and strained relationships with colleagues.

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Keep your Lamps Trimmed

“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.” Luke 12:35-36 (NIV)

In this scripture Jesus was emphasizing the necessity of always staying spiritually prepared for His second coming.

But this preparation for the end times isn’t just a one and done thing. We must make an effort everyday to cultivate intimacy with Jesus and allow Him to mature our spirits for His return.

When we reach a point in life where we feel like so much is going on around us and become burnt-out, we can begin to lose the urgency of this continuous spiritual preparation.

We may start to focus our minds on temporal possessions instead of our eternal life. Then we just stop refilling our oil lamps.

There is another principle we can take away from this scripture when it comes to burnout:

To incorporate habits in our routine that that allows us to continuously replenish our spiritual and creative energy before we burn out completely.

We must be intentional about guarding against burnout so that we maintain the energy and zeal to pursue our relationship with Jesus every day.

5 Ways to Prevent Burnout

Focus on maintaining the important things:

Consistently Maintain Your Relationship with God.

Prioritize your spiritual health by spending intentional time with God through prayer, reading the Bible and engaging in worship. Fasting also helps to deepen your spiritual connection and seek guidance from the Holy Spirit in times where you need deep spiritual renewal.

Prioritize Your Physical and Mental Health
Maintain a balanced diet, stay hydrated, sleep adequately and incorporate regular exercise into your routine to alleviate physical tension and boost energy levels.

Stay Organized and Develop Healthy Routines
Create a structured daily schedule that includes time for work, rest and relaxation. Establish boundaries to protect your personal time and prevent overwork, ensuring a healthy work-life balance.

Pick Up a Relaxing Hobby
Explore hobbies that relax and rejuvenate you, such as painting, writing, gardening or dancing. Schedule artist dates to stimulate creativity and foster inspiration.

Spend Time with Loved Ones
Nurture relationships with friends and family to make positive connections and gain emotional support outside of work.

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Make sure you do this!

Remember, just like a lamp needs to be constantly fueled to shine brightly, we need to continuously nurture our spiritual, physical, and creative energies to intentionally prevent burnout.

Take a moment today to implement at least one of these strategies and see how it transforms your energy. Your spirit and your creativity deserve the best fuel possible to keep you burning brightly!