Most clergy I know think of a week when they do 50 hours as an average load; many do much more (though they’re probably not married…) I wanted to draw attention to two things I’ve read recently. <\/p>\n
The first is some research<\/a> (considered here<\/a>) that suggests there is a significant decline in productivity when excessive hours are worked over the longer term. There can be a short-term increase, but after about six weeks the productivity declines steadily. A ‘healthy’ load is considered to be around 35 hours for ‘knowledge work’, which is of course what the ‘cleric’ does. <\/p>\n The second is some research<\/a> demonstrating the link between excessive working hours and depression. (Of course, ‘depression’ is only one of the possible symptoms – a colleague commented that clergy who are overworked and isolated develop ‘idiosyncratic behaviours’ – I’m sure that’s just a euphemism!) <\/p>\n One of the things that I find most challenging is ‘switching off’, because even if I am offically not working, my brain simply processes all the various issues anyway, and if I don’t do it consciously during the day then I wake up in the middle of the night and have to wait for an hour or two for the brain to do its business. There are things that I can do about this, and I’m working on them with the help of my spiritual director – essentially taking time out for contemplative prayer every day, of a substantial length (ie at least half an hour a day, preferably more), and I’m hopeful that that aspect of the challenge can be met. <\/p>\n Here is some advice from – I think – Charles Gore about priestly priorities: 1. Prayer, 2. Recreation 3. Work – because if you put work at #2 then you will never reach #3 and everything will then suffer. Not easy though.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Most clergy I know think of a week when they do 50 hours as an average load; many do much more (though they’re probably not married…) I wanted to draw attention to two things I’ve read recently. The first is … Continue reading