Work Life
Fundraisers are especially prone to burnout.
Most fundraisers are Type A by nature, and many tend toward overachieving. You’re mission-driven, which sometimes makes self-care seem selfish. Your metrics are always visible, the goalposts are always shifting, and your donor relationships are always partly out of your control.
Here’s one more factor: Senior fundraisers frequently bemoan the lack of understanding among C-level staff about how fundraising actually works. It can feel, at times, like wilful ignorance. That lack of understanding leads to unrealistic expectations and struggles over resources. (See also this recent article from NonprofitPRO, entitled “Fundraising Is Not Failing: Expectations Are.”)
Finally, the current moment, in which everything feels uncertain, out of control, and ever-changing, can nudge us into burnout territory.
In the coaching biz, we talk of polarities – two values, both important, that are interdependent. Work and life are in polarity, and require constant attention to ensure that the mix is always meeting the moment. It’s not work vs. life. It’s work AND life.
A recent article in Greater Good Magazine offered some valuable guidance for navigating what the author calls work-life integration. Here are some of the article’s suggestions:
Start with self-awareness. Pay attention to where your attention is going, and what stress is showing up in your body. For fundraisers, the work thoughts don’t stay at the office. They follow you home. Mindfulness is your best tool for catching that drift before it costs you. Look for early warning signs of burnout: irritability, feelings of overwhelm, and work feeling like a joyless chore. When you catch it early, you can take action to stave it off. (Specific suggestions here.)
Articulate your priorities and build your schedule around them. Write down your values first, then your key roles and responsibilities. The exercise is simple: identify your values, then build your calendar to reflect them rather than the other way around. This might sound simple, but you’ll be surprised how often you find yourself prioritizing things that don’t align with your values. Also, schedule self-care and protect it on your calendar. Self-care in the form of rest, meditation, yoga, exercise, or hobbies is not optional.
Delegate, delegate, delegate. Focus your energy where only you can contribute, and trust others with the rest. Fundraisers who try to own everything eventually own nothing well. There’s a justifiably famous Harvard Business Review article about not “taking on your staff’s monkeys.” It’s a golden oldie, as relevant today as it was when it came out in 1974. Use this link to bypass the paywall.
Go easy on yourself. Not everything will measure up. Sometimes work will take the front seat, and sometimes life will. Keep your eyes on your values, keep adjusting, and practice a little self-compassion. The sector needs you in it for the long haul.
These are burnout-prone times. There’s only one of you. Be passionate about your work, but don’t let it become your sole identity. We all need to have a life, too.