What are some effective self-care strategies for nonprofit leaders?

1 Assess your needs

The first step to practicing self-care is to assess your own needs and priorities. What are the sources of stress and joy in your work and life? How do you cope with them? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are your goals and values? How do you balance your time and energy among different roles and responsibilities? By answering these questions, you can identify the areas where you need more support, attention, or improvement, and the areas where you are doing well or can leverage your assets.

2 Set boundaries

The second step to practicing self-care is to set healthy boundaries for yourself and others. Boundaries are the limits and expectations that you communicate and enforce to protect your well-being, respect, and autonomy. For example, you can set boundaries around your work hours, communication channels, tasks and projects, feedback and criticism, and personal space and privacy. By setting boundaries, you can avoid overcommitting, overworking, or compromising your values, and instead focus on what matters most to you and your mission.

3 Seek support

The third step to practicing self-care is to seek support from others who can help you cope, grow, and thrive. Support can come in many forms, such as professional coaching or mentoring, peer networks or communities, personal friends or family, or mental health services or resources. By seeking support, you can access different perspectives, insights, and advice, share your challenges and successes, learn new skills and strategies, and receive encouragement and validation.

4 Nurture yourself

The fourth step to practicing self-care is to nurture yourself with activities and habits that replenish your energy, health, and happiness. Nurturing yourself can include physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects, such as eating well, sleeping enough, exercising regularly, meditating, journaling, reading, learning, expressing gratitude, practicing kindness, pursuing hobbies, or having fun. By nurturing yourself, you can boost your mood, resilience, creativity, and productivity, and reduce your stress, anxiety, and fatigue.

5 Celebrate yourself

The fifth step to practicing self-care is to celebrate yourself with recognition and rewards for your achievements, efforts, and contributions. Celebrating yourself can involve acknowledging your progress and impact, appreciating your strengths and skills, affirming your values and vision, or treating yourself with something special or enjoyable. By celebrating yourself, you can enhance your confidence, motivation, and satisfaction, and remind yourself of your worth and purpose.

6 Review and adjust

The sixth step to practicing self-care is to review and adjust your self-care plan and practices regularly. Self-care is not a one-time event, but a continuous process that requires awareness, intention, and action. By reviewing and adjusting your self-care plan and practices, you can evaluate your results and feedback, identify your challenges and opportunities, and make changes or improvements as needed. You can also use tools such as self-care checklists, calendars, apps, or journals to track and monitor your self-care activities and outcomes.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?