Mental Health Minute: Tips for Handling the Daily Schedule of a Missionary

Cover image via Gospel Media Library. 

Many years ago, I started a job where our boss said “Good news! Here we work only half a day!” He smiled and said, “Go ahead and pick the twelve hours you want to work!”

As missionaries begin training at the MTC (Missionary Training Center), they are suddenly immersed into a training environment that begins at 9am and ends at 9pm. Pretty intense “half days!” And they are excited to be there! What an amazing spiritual experience!

A few weeks after her MTC experience, we ran into a sweet young sister missionary from Samoa who greeted us and said “Being a missionary is hard! And the sun is so bright … my brown skin is even more brown!” She shared a hug with my wife, gave us a great big smile, and went off to the temple with her district.

For some missionaries, the schedule in the MTC and in the mission field can be difficult and sometimes overwhelming. It isn’t the first time that they have been so busy. Many have had school plus work plus sports or band or other activities that have consumed their time and energy. But as missionaries, they don’t have access to the same coping mechanisms to relax, recharge, and refresh.

Before their mission, they would be on their phones playing games, texting friends, watching movies or listening to music. With those outlets for stress gone, they need to develop other coping skills. Maybe we also need to evaluate our own coping skills to see how we can do better and be better as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Adjusting to Missionary Life offers the following suggestions and tools:

Breathing Exercise

• Sit in a comfortable position or stand quietly. Take a few deep, slow breaths through your nose, pausing after each one.
• Relax your shoulders and try to breathe so your stomach moves, not your shoulders.
• Continue to breathe slowly and calmly for five minutes or until anxious feelings ease up.

Progressive Relaxation Exercise

Deep relaxation helps your body recover from stress. Practice this at night before you sleep to train your body to relax. Do a shorter version of this exercise during the day any time you feel overstressed.

• Lie or sit comfortably and close your eyes.
• Concentrating on one part of your body at a time, look for any tension. Consciously relax that part of your body. Feel all the tension draining away, like sand running through your fingers. Then move on to the next part of your body. Take your time. If you are not sure if there is still tension, tighten that part of your body for 10 seconds; then completely relax for 10 seconds before moving on.
• Focus on these areas, one at a time: 1. head and face; 2. eyes; 3. jaw; 4. neck; 5. shoulders and back; 6. arms; 7. hands and fingers; 8. chest and abdomen; 9. legs; 10. feet and toes.
• Mentally scan your body for any remaining tension. Completely relax.
• Choose a “personal scene”—a memory or an imagined setting—that brings you joy and peace. Try to imagine this scene as vividly as possible using all five senses: what you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch.

Exercise. Regular exercise is one effective way to manage stress. Choose to participate in a variety of activities that are both enjoyable and physically challenging. As you focus on the activity at hand, you may find yourself energized and better able to forget the worries of the day. Regardless of the activity you choose, exercise can help increase your stamina and capacity to serve the Lord.

Listen to approved music or sing. Choose music that is calm and soothing if you are anxious, or music that is upbeat and cheerful if you feel down.

Turn your day [and your night] over to the Lord. Once you have done what you can to plan thoroughly, ask Him to work things together for your good. Be flexible and responsive to the Spirit.

Remember the importance of rest and relaxation. For example, use the progressive relaxation exercise at night to slow down and relax before bed, or the breathing exercise. Plan preparation days to include time to rest, enjoy, and unwind so you will be refreshed for the week to come. In addition to necessary activities like shopping and writing home, try:

Cultural activities. Visit historical sites, museums, or local festivals.

Social activities. Participate with others in sports, games, art, meals, or appropriate music.

Time in nature. Visit parks or nature preserves or go hiking.

Rest and reflection. Take a nap, meditate, or write about your feelings.

“And [Jesus] said unto [His disciples], Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat” (Mark 6:31).

“And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength” (Mosiah 4:27).

May the Lord bless us with wisdom and strength as we serve Him and serve those around us in this great work.