Remaining Healthy as COVID-19 Lingers

How you feel about where we are in the COVID-19 timeline probably depends on which expert you ask, which article you read, or which political wind you happen to subscribe to. Some believe we have a long way to go to be out of the woods while others believe we’re drawing near to the end of the pandemic.

Regardless of your stance, it’s clear that the effects of COVID are lingering and no group of professionals are feeling it more than pastors.

The research we’re reading, along with the anecdotal evidence we’re collecting as we talk to the pastors we serve, is showing that many pastors are really struggling with their personal wellbeing during this challenging time.

Below are six suggested ways to remain healthy as the effects of the pandemic lingers:

  1. Lean In
    You might be tempted to withdraw, give in to heredity tendencies such as anxiety, depression, or addiction, or to quit the important work of ministry altogether. Let’s face it: it would be really easy to give up.I’d like to encourage you to resist the urge to throw in the towel.

    Instead, lean in.

    Think of this difficult time as a challenge. Make it a personal competition to get better.

    Learn some new skills. Become a better preacher. Study more. Find ways to become a better leader. Invest in some new volunteers. Take your church’s live stream to the next level.

    Right now, you have a built in excuse to start something new, change something old, or do something differently. Why not take advantage of it?

    Instead of running away, lean in!

  2. Talk To Someone
    I realize there is a stigma, especially for ministry leaders who are supposed to be the care-givers and care-takers, to ask for help. However, there is nothing wrong with seeking a counselor to chat with or a coach to walk alongside you.Let me say it again: there is nothing wrong with asking for help!

    The good news is, if you’re a Full Strength Network (parent company of ExPastors.com) PastorWell® member, your counseling/coaching is paid for. All you have to do is log in to your portal, complete the confidential request form, and the team there will help you get connected with a counselor or coach that fits your needs.

  3. Monitor Your Wellbeing
    One of the best ways to make sure you remain healthy is to monitor your wellbeing.Mindfulness is one of the key ingredients to help identify problem-spots in your life.

    Full Strength Network has a resource to help you monitor your wellbeing. The FREE MinstryPulse app allows you to record your state-of-being (and make some notes about it) on a daily and weekly basis. Then, you can quickly go back and identify trouble spots and work to address them.

    My favorite story is of a pastor who was feeling down and having trouble concentrating on his main sermon prep day: Wednesdays. It was impacting his preaching and his overall wellbeing and he couldn’t figure out why it was happening. When he used MinistryPulse, he realized that every Tuesday was a stressful day for him and he was able to make adjustments on that day.

    You can download MinistryPulse free here.

    It only takes a couple of minutes a day to monitor your wellbeing.

    I challenge you to use it faithfully for 30 days and see if you don’t notice a difference.

  4. Get Away
    One of the most often ignored aspects of wellbeing by pastors, ironically, is taking a day or time of Sabbath rest.Respite or recreation time is critical to your wellbeing and longevity in ministry.

    I get it…with all of the pressures on your schedule, it’s difficult for you to take five minutes for yourself, much less get away for a day, a week, or longer.

    While it might be difficult, it’s essential.

    But it’s up to you to make it a priority.

    For PastorWell® members, we can give you a referral to one of our respite partners who often give discounts to pastors so you can get away and have time to recharge your spiritual, physical, and emotional batteries. Log in to the portal and request a respite referral today.

  5. Double-down On Your Finances
    One reason ministry leaders are struggling during the pandemic is because of financial pressures.Let’s face it: most ministry positions aren’t exactly lucrative.

    And with additional pressures such as keeping the kids at home (which means additional school supplies for the house, additional snacks, additional technology, increased power bills, etc.), and all the other additional expenses that come with maintaining life during a pandemic, the additional financial strain can be overwhelming.

    Add in lowered church attendance and decreases in giving, and the pressure can move toward burnout.

    That’s why it’s important to get your financial affairs in order. If you’re not living on a budget, it’s time to put one in place. If you don’t know how you’re retirement accounts are looking, it’s time to meet with your advisor. You get the picture.

    You can dramatically improve your overall wellbeing by adding some peace of mind around your finances.

    If you’re a PastorWell® member, we can help by providing you a financial referral to an advisor who can provide some guidance.

  6. Get Into Community
    Most pastors report loneliness as one of the primary contributors to their feeling unhealthy.It’s important to be in healthy community relationships.

    We preach about the importance of small groups from our pulpits, and we know the importance of accountability in our lives, but often we neglect the importance of community for ourselves as ministry leaders.

    That’s why Peer Huddles are an important membership benefit for PastorWell® members.

    You’ll be connected with like-minded ministry leaders to experience community, learn leadership and skill-improvement principles, and ultimately have accountability as you grow together.

    We actually believe these mastermind groups are one of the most important pieces we offer in our mission of helping pastors monitor their wellbeing and connect to strengthening resources.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on everyone, but no group more than pastors. However, if you take a few steps to care for yourself and your family, you should be positioned well for growth and joy whether things “return to normal” or if we’re headed toward a “new normal.”

POSTED ON March 10, 2021

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Chuck is the Director of Operations for Full Strength Network (ExPastors' parent organization). He's also an expert in church communications and frequent speaker and consultant with churches across the U.S.