Stress and Clergy Health
Congregants often turn to clergy for assistance in dealing with the pressures of everyday life. Clergy know there are things they can say and resources they can identify to help these congregants cope with the stress they are feeling.
At the same time, many clergy have difficulty identifying and addressing the stressors in their own lives. They overlook the same resources they suggest for others while struggling to cope with the pressures they face at work and at home.
While there is no magic wand that can make all the causes of stress disappear, there are things that can be done to minimize pressure and mitigate stress. By identifying stressors and implementing effective solutions to overcome tension, clergy can improve their own lives and make themselves more effective leaders for their congregations.
Source of Stress
A 2010 survey by the American Psychology Association (APA) identified the most often cited sources of stress. These included:
- money,
- work,
- the economy,
- family responsibilities,
- personal relationships,
- personal health concerns,
- housing costs,
- job stability,
- health problems affecting family members, and
- personal safety.
Clergy may face a number of additional stressors specific to their vocation. These could include:
- Balancing time spent with the congregation with personal/family time
- Helping parishioners deal with problems (i.e., illness, the death of a loved one, financial hardship, etc.)
- Needing to attend multiple committee/planning meetings
- Public speaking
- Parish financial concerns
- Administrative church tasks including supervising staff
Strategies for Coping with Stress
| Source of Stress | Suggestions for Ways to Cope |
|---|---|
| Balancing time spent with the congregation with personal/family time | - Buy a day planner and schedule "family time" and "personal time" throughout your day/week; stick to the schedule |
| - Take a vacation that is at least one week long every year; schedule several shorter breaks throughout the year so you have time to relax and recharge | |
| Helping parishioners deal with problems (i.e., illness, the death of a loved one, financial hardship, etc.) | - Make yourself available to the congregation, but establish times when you can only be reached in the event of an emergency |
| - Refer congregants to other professionals (medical, financial, etc.) when necessary | |
| - Ask a fellow clergy member or your spiritual leader for assistance/tips for assisting people you are having difficulty helping | |
| - Contact your EAP if another person's sadness is making you sad as well | |
| Needing to attend multiple committee/planning meetings | - Identify the meetings where your attendance is mandatory/most needed |
| - Have a representative attend non-crucial meetings and supply you with a summary of the proceedings | |
| - Try to schedule meetings back-to-back and in the same locations to consolidate time and eliminate travel | |
| - Identify the meetings where your attendance is mandatory/most needed | |
| Public speaking | - Practice your sermon in front of family and friends |
| - Practice your sermon in front of family and friends | |
| Parish financial concerns | - Have a church budget; regularly update/revise the budget based on the changing needs/circumstances of the church |
| - Have a church budget; regularly update/revise the budget based on the changing needs/circumstances of the church | |
| Administrative church tasks including supervising staff | - Train staff to do administrative duties so you can focus on larger concerns |
| - Seek volunteers from the congregation to assist | |
| - Make sure current staff has the required skills for the job; retrain/restaff if necessary |