Moving Past Burnout During a Global Pandemic

by Megan Forgey, Communications Consultant, Episcopal Church of Colorado 

As a church communicator, you know all too well that our job has never ended at 5pm. Even before COVID-19 affected every aspect of our life, there were always communications requests, emails, and last-minute bulletin additions that made it hard to disconnect from work. COVID-19 has only accelerated that feeling of always needing to be “online”. Since we no longer have the feeling of closing down our computer and making the commute home after a long day, how do we avoid burnout and remain sane during a global pandemic?

Since our couch/dining room table/bed have become our workspace, there is no longer a clear divide between work and home.  For many of us, who may be workaholics by nature, that means that the work never really stops, especially with increased pressure to learn new technologies and be the church in a new way. I used to relish my 15-minute bus ride home from my office job before COVID-19 hit. That space of time allowed me to take a deep breath, listen to a podcast, and transition from work to home.

For Sarah Martinez, Communications Manager for Trinity Episcopal Church in Fort Worth, COVID-19 immediately escalated her workload. “My work life has changed completely due to COVID,” Martinez says. “My boss, the rector of Trinity Episcopal in Fort Worth, was the first person in Tarrant County to test positive for the virus. We had to shift into crisis communications mode several weeks before many other organizations.”

We as church communicators have had to pivot in more ways than Ross’ couch in that famous Friends’ episode. We have learned how to navigate Zoom, Facebook Live, phone trees, and managing the ever-changing question of when our church can open. With every day bleeding into the next and the weeks feeling like a surreal version of Groundhog Day, it is natural to feel burnt out from the energy we have put into our increasing job duties.  

Getting Through Burn Out

Sabbath Time

Similar to the saying we hear everytime we board an airplane, we first have to put our oxygen mask on before we can help others put their masks on. We can’t serve as the church if our personal ministry is depleted. Taking sabbath time, or regenerative rest to unwind and recharge our batteries is a vital part of remaining sane in these coming months. 

“Stress maintenance and sabbath, for me, centers on the things I can do at home with my family. We binge watch a lot of "comfort" TV -- Downton Abbey, reruns of Star Trek Deep Space 9 and Voyager, M*A*S*H -- anything fun and frivolous. Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime have been a godsend,” says Martinez. “The stress of live streaming worship each Sunday means church is neither peaceful nor sabbath-like for me.”

Community

As communicators, we are facing the pressure of performing many duties for our churches; acting as the camera person, spokesperson, liaison between the clergy and parishioners, and many more. Setting up a volunteer communications committee at your church can help you push past the constant to-do list, and refocus on the church’s main goals during COVID-19. 

Setting Boundaries

Working from home has largely felt like we’re living at work. When your workspace can be anywhere, it’s harder to find a way to unplug and turn off from work mode. And with an increased need for us as communicators, it can be hard to step away from the computer, email, and Zoom calls. Consider adding a signature onto your email with the hours that you check emails, and that you will get back to them when you’re next available. If you’re someone who frequently gets phone calls after hours, turn your phone on “do not disturb.”

Enjoying the small wins of quarantine, as Martinez is doing is paramount to keeping the faith, “I do love the luxury of rolling out of bed late and making a cup of coffee before I settle in at my makeshift desk.” It may not feel like it now, but the creative ways we’re being the church right now are inspiring and inviting future members. But in order to do so, we have to care for ourselves in order to care for this next generation of church.