When you’re playing basketball, there are moments in the game when a timeout is critical. Maybe things aren’t going well, the ball isn’t bouncing your way, or your team is just playing out of sync. A timeout is also an opportunity to catch your breath!

But when you’re a kid, a timeout is never a good thing. It means you’re in trouble. You need to sit down and think about things.

As an adult, and especially as ministers, we sometimes think of timeouts as the second example, not the first. We think the only time we should take a break is when something breaks. That any rest means we messed up and need to sit and think about what we did wrong.

Instead, all good leaders know the right time to take a timeout, and they do! Whether things are going well or not so well, you need a regular timeout to catch your breath, evaluate what’s happening, and recharge your batteries.

A Day Off Can Be Powerful

Taking a day away from the work of ministry can be powerful. It’s like taking a powernap. Have you ever had one of those? I remember finding out about them in college. 

At first I thought powernaps were useless. How can you really get enough rest in 10 or 15 minutes? But then I tried it and found out that by taking short breaks and quick rests, you can gain more energy.

The benefits of a day off, other than your Sabbath, are tremendous. Taking a day off can help you rest and recharge. It can also help give you focus and center your concentration. By resting, you can accomplish more than if you tried to power through and work 15 days straight.

Every so often take an extra day off in addition to your Sabbath. Play golf, sleep in, take a day trip with your spouse, or spend some extra time with your kids. Make a list of things you’ve always wanted to do but don’t have time. From tasks to complete around the house or picking up a new hobby to going on a road trip or just reading a favorite book.

There are no rules, just what makes you feel right. Take a day off for no reason at all and watch what a difference it can make. Sometimes that’s all you need.

A Day Off May Not Be Enough

But I do want to caution you that just one day off now and then isn’t enough. Timeouts need to be incremental and intentional. By incremental I mean taking more than just a day now and then. Give yourself plenty of time.

Sit down with your board, your spiritual father or a close friend and decide how much time is truly enough. Then set aside that time in your calendar to take a break.

Whether things are going well or not so well, you need a regular timeout to catch your breath, evaluate what’s happening, and recharge your batteries.

God designed us to rest one day out of every seven. But studies show that working long hours over an extended period can be detrimental to our health. We need longer timeouts scheduled for our mental and emotional well-being. Plus, taking a timeout will enhance our relationships, making us better prepared when we return to our tasks.

Plan a vacation yearly. Set aside a week or two each summer to go on a trip. Or simply stay at home with the phone unplugged. Plan the vacation with your kids and spouse in mind. That way you give them something to look forward to and work towards.

On your vacation, make it unforgettable by making memories together. It doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive, but it does need to include your whole family.

But don’t wait for the summer to take a timeout. Make sure to take regular breaks during the year, and not just during the work week but on weekends too. This is one way that your timeouts should be intentional rather than incidental.

And when you take a timeout on a weekend, that doesn’t just mean from preaching. Take a break from the church, go visit another church, or take a trip. But get away from your own church for just the day.

Here’s how you can make sure you’re taking a weekend off. At some point in the year, look at the calendar. Pencil in all the dates you plan to speak. If it’s every weekend, then you need a timeout!

Mark off the weekends you’ll have a guest speaker, a special emphasis like missions, or an event Sunday. Then, schedule two or three weekends off for yourself, or however many you need. Then make sure you follow through by taking a timeout.

Another timeout that many pastors find beneficial is a sabbatical. Instead of just a weekend off, think of taking a month or more off. This doesn’t need to be an annual occurrence, but taking an extended break from day-to-day ministry can be beneficial in two ways.

First, it gives you time to step away and evaluate and align your vision. As the main vision caster for your church, you must make sure you are healthy enough to make healthy decisions about the direction of your organization.

Secondly, a sabbatical can be helpful for your staff. By taking an extended timeout, you’re putting them in charge for a while. You not only convey that staff members are trusted to make good decisions and lead their ministries well in your absence, but you’re allowing them to exercise their own leadership muscles during that time. Healthy leaders always reproduce other healthy leaders.

Whatever form your timeout takes, make sure you’re calling one regularly. Too often we find ourselves working harder and harder. And usually for a good reason! We feel the absolute burden of the lost in our communities and are willing to make any sacrifice to see God’s kingdom grow.

But a worn-out vessel is of little use. Being healthy by taking intentional timeouts will make your work more influential in the long run.