I finished reading Wayne Corderio’s book, Leading on Empty: Refilling Your Tank and Renewing Your Passion, a week or so ago. It was a really good book but I can’t say that I exactly enjoyed it. The book is about burnout, specifically ministerial burnout, and unfortunately it talks about a problem that many in the ministry experience. Again, the book is very helpful so I would definitely recommend it but it’s a very serious book and it’s not for the faint of heart.
Honestly, it was very helpful to hear a great leader like Corderio, who I respect immensely, share his struggles with burnout. He goes into great detail and you sort of follow him through his journey from burnout back to being healthy again. To be clear, this is no quick fix book. Cordeiro’s journey took him over three years to accomplish and he still views himself as someone who is prone to burnout.
Early in the book, Cordeiro goes to see a doctor that tells him that he needs to take a year off from the ministry. Cordeiro refers back to that advice a few times in the first few chapters and I must admit that I was worried that he was going to come to the conclusion that all ministers that are experiencing burnout should take a year off. (Most can’t do anything like that.) In the end, however, his conclusions and advice are more about lifestyle changes and knowing your own rhythms than anything else.
Many things in the book had a big impact on me. One thing that sticks out is how Corderio mapped out his energy output during the day to make sure he was using his energy wisely. He notes that he doesn’t have the energy to spare that he once did in the early years of the ministry. He also says that it seems to take him much longer to recharge his energy than it did years ago. I can certain attest to both of those statements, as well as many more great nuggets found in this book.
I was reading this book along with Mad Church Disease which I haven’t finished yet. The two books together were a great one-two punch. They complimented each other very well. (I’ll review Mad Church Disease when I finish it.)
If you’re experiencing burnout, this is a great book to start your journey back to wholeness.
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