Last night one of the governors at our school told me that she didn't envy me as a school chaplain, that anybody who works in a pastoral role has a 40% higher likelihood of hitting burnout than other people.

What do you think? Does wearing our hearts on our sleeves as chaplains put us at greater risk of burnout and is there anything we can do to help each other out and help ourselves so that we don't?

On a related issue, did you spot the article in last week's Catholic Herald about some research done among priest saying that although they may be overworked they are actually very happy in their jobs/roles. I wonder if they would get the same results with youth workers?

Yes, I think so. But the overworked aspect of it all has the potential to make it all come apart at the seems.

Personally, I had a terrible summer in terms of my energy levels and health. I came back from Madrid tired out and it took the best part of a month - really - to fully recover my energy levels and to feel normal again.

While I was resting at my parents house in ate August I decided that things had to change. At that point, I effectively had three jobs. One has since gone, and I also made myself some rules to live by: always get 9 hours in bed each night, no work after 7pm, no work on a Sunday, eat and drink properly etc... I am doing fairly well with them too.

I really think that youth workers should make themselves a list of rules. What are you going to do to ensure that you don't burn out? How are you going to protect your downtime, your health, your sanity?

...no work on a Sunday...

Sounds like bliss - Sunday's my busiest day!

While I was resting at my parents house in ate August I decided that things had to change. At that point, I effectively had three jobs. One has since gone, and I also made myself some rules to live by: always get 9 hours in bed each night, no work after 7pm, no work on a Sunday, eat and drink properly etc... I am doing fairly well with them too.

I really think that youth workers should make themselves a list of rules. What are you going to do to ensure that you don't burn out? How are you going to protect your downtime, your health, your sanity?

I was encouraged by my spiritual director not to take on any additional youth ministry outside of school. It's been quite hard to do, especially when people look at me as an easy to get resources, but I've- so far- managed to be very firm with it. She had two concerns- one was burnout, and the other was alienating my husband (who isn't a Christian- what sort of impression will he get of God if God is always taking his wife away from him?)

It reminds me of the "Shells" Nooma- we have to figure out what we're saying yes to, so it's easier to say no to things that don't fit with it. I think that's helped me get things in perspective.

Fortunately, being school based my weekends are mostly quite chilled.

Nevertheless, I'm sure you still work infinitely harder than I do!