Here's how you can effectively cope with burnout as a community outreach professional.

I take 24 hours to think about taking on new "extra-cirriculars" that add to my schedule. Writing a pro/con list helps, and thinking through strategically, if it's a project that can easy fit into other projects I'm already involved in. Learning to say "no" and protect my time has been valuable to my self-care journey. Always striving to be helpful, if I can't do something, I'll send along a few referrals for those who might be a good fit. For every week night that's fill with work/creative/volunteer activities, weekends are filled with friends, family, binge-watching, and spending time with my pup. It's all about balance!

In my experience, having some 'ME' time on a weekly basis helps a lot. Take some time alone and do something that makes you happy. It is worth noting being alone does not indicate lonely. Be selfish once in a while and be there for you.

To adjust your perspective from "I'm doing...", "I'm creating" to "The Community owns this. They are experts, even when something does not turn out the way I expected" helps so much in reducing the stress. Looking for and creating networks of support from among the community members is crucial. And, step away

Burnout is really spiritual pain. Burnout is a term that is representative of colonization and toxic capitalism. Burnout blames the individual. Spiritual pain recognizes that it is systemic and that we need community and systemic support for self-care to be possible.

One thing that a lot of us in this work tend to do is decenter ourselves to the point of neglect, but it’s important to recognize you are also a part of the community you’re trying to serve. Humanize yourself. Admittedly, easier said than done, but so helpful when you’re able to do it.

Setting boundaries is hard for me but essential to avoid burnout. I made a conscious effort last year, which paid dividends. Following a challenging year of juggling far too many things at work, feeling dissatisfied with my output, I knew something had to change. I made a resolution for the following year to “say no”. I tend to want to say yes to everything, so saying “no” was very difficult at first. My “year of saying no” was enlightening! Once I got over the initial discomfort (and feeling guilty that I had let someone down), I managed my time better, met deadlines more easily, and I could pick & choose which tasks I took on. I also realised that stepping back paved the way for others to thrive! This was a win-win.

In my journey in child protection , I've come to understand that establishing boundaries can present challenges, particularly when deeply invested in our work,passion may override reality . Nevertheless, it is essential for advancing in our field, especially when handling delicate cases. By effectively managing our time and maximizing our efforts within designated timeframes, we can achieve a sense of fulfillment in the outcomes we strive to create.

An area that I specifically look for in a direct line manager is their clear understanding of the potential demands that may present within my delegations of responsibility. Leading from a place of empathy and acknowledgment that the well-being of a team is everyone’s responsibility, puts in place accountability checks when workload becomes unachievable.

Boundaries are the most effective way of avoiding burnout. Learning to say no is harder than saying yes. But, when you say no, and remain dedicated to your own wellness, you will find time and energy to do the things that bring you joy in life. To get this time and energy, you have to be able to say no, especially at work.

It is easy to convince ourselves that we don’t have time for self-care. Prioritizing this important aspect of wellness and balance is critical to avoiding burnout. Start small. Scheduling 5 minutes to do nothing but breathe can make a world of difference. It will improve your focus and reset your nervous system. Before you know it, that 5 minutes will become 10 or 20 minutes and you will look forward these small breaks. Consistency is key. We all need to pause and reset.

I love talking about self-care rituals! A lot of self-care lists skip over one that I think is incredibly important - your hobbies! Hobbies are a great outlet for stress, but they can also re-energize you after a long day or week. I encourage people to literally put time to enjoy your hobbies on your calendar and treat it like any other appointment - don't push it aside because you have a long to-do list. You will always have a long to-do list and you can use the energy you get back from doing your hobbies to knock out that list tomorrow.

Finding time for self-care can be challenging, especially for working professionals with busy schedules. However, prioritizing self-care is vital for maintaining overall well-being and preventing burnout. Waking up early to incorporate activities like a morning workout into your routine is a fantastic strategy. While it might seem daunting at first, the benefits of starting your day with physical activity can be profound. Not only does exercise energize your body, but it also boosts mood and mental clarity, setting a positive tone for the rest of the day.

In my experience, making time to completely disengage and disconnect from your stressors is important. Allowing yourself time for fun and self care will let you examine how you feel and evaluate how you are performing. Vacations are great but for most people they happen once a year. Maybe. But adding one day to your off days to lounge around or visit a local attraction or event without rushing to get to work can help your mood.

Take up the ukulele! Very fun! It is relaxing and music is one of the most calming of activities. It allows you to learn new information and enjoy so many music opportunities.

Some companies have a culture where working too much and being spread thin is admired and the way to advance. You need leaders who encourage people to take time off, to tend to your mental health, who see you as a person and can sense if you are starting to go into burnout. Companies should not pride themselves on a burned out workforce, but look at the systems in place that are allowing this to happen to their employees. Yes, have friends you can talk to, but we need people who have the power to change systems saying that burnout is not acceptable on any level if we are to do good work with others. We have to lead by example.

It is important to know your energy levels throughout the day and book your schedule accordingly. I know that in the mornings I can get the most done, so that is when I put my hardest tasks. When I have the most complex clients I schedule fewer in that day so that I have time, space, and energy to give what is needed to those individuals. I want to be respectful and give the same level of attention to everyone I work with regardless of how demanding the work is.

One thing that I’ve adopted into my daily practise is to write a list of things that I have done in that day that sits alongside the priorities for the week. If your leadership puts people first this time needs to be acknowledged as valid time invested into your work culture. Having a list of what was achieved vs only seeing what still needs to be done validates the time invested in the important daily ‘interruptions.’

é necessário e fundamental aprender a gerenciar o estresse, aprender táticas de manejo de crise e tentar n?o se contaminar com a ansiedade corporativa muita das vezes já institucional. Separar o que é seu e o que é do outro é um bom início. A empresa precisa ser minimamente parceira nesse desenvolvimento.

I have found I need a meaningful arts-based “passion project” — tied to the organisational mission — to keep me focused on WHY I do what I do. This helps me cope when mundane or high pressure tasks feel relentless. The passion project gives me a sense of purpose, helps me cope mentally, keeps me engaged with others, and motivates me to get out of bed and go to work! Completing the goals of a passion project provides me a sense of achievement, worth and value, compared with other pressures that can lead to lower self-esteem and burnout.

As a community Outreach professional it is easy to experience burn out unless you are intentional about avoiding it. Being intentional looks like blocking out certain dates or hours for specific self-care activities. It also looks like setting and articulating clear boundaries for yourself and others in terms of realistic project scope and timelines. Lastly, you can help prevent burn out by expanding your collaborative network and learning how and when to share responsibility with other professionals you can trust to help you meet objectives.

In my experience it is so important to do things to “recharge” - a good example to explain: when your phone is dead, you charge it, you do not just leave it on a table dead, you plug it in to charge it or it will not have more battery. The body is the same; find things that can “recharge” you; whether it be reading, walking, drawing etc. The activity itself does not matter, but ensure you do things that can recharge you, sooner rather than later,