From passion to exhaustion: Why Charity Leaders are running on empty (and what to do about it)

It's 3am and you're still thinking about tomorrow’s to-do list; the tender that you have to finish, the conversation you’ve been dreading with your most difficult member of staff, the conference you need to prep for, the crises you’re expecting to wake up to and what feels like a hundred tiny tasks that you’re not sure you’re ever going to get to. It’s all swirling around your head, and no matter how many sleep-scapes you listen to, sheep you count or breathing techniques it just won’t stop. You know the chances of you getting back to sleep is running away from you, and the likelihood of tomorrow going to plan is getting less and less.?

It’s in these moments you feel the most alone, your partner doesn’t get it, your charity friends do, but you can’t burden them with it all, and the last time you had anything resembling supervision was 6 months ago. You’re just gonna have to suck it up, get your head down and get on. After all there’s no one else to do it all, the buck stops with you. ?

But you’re not the only one who feels like this at 3am, 70% of charity leaders feel like you, and it has a significant impact not only on them, but their teams and their organisation to. But if you find yourself feeling like you can’t escape the sooner you take notice, and action, the quicker you can get back on track, and prevent yourself joining the 44% of charity leaders who are thinking of quitting because of the pressure they experience.?

Signs You're Running on Empty?

The problem with the charity sector is you’ve probably been working at full-pelt your whole career, you think it’s normal to be exhausted, because everyone around you is. When you become accustomed to working in this way it's easy to not notice and ignore the signs that you’re running on fumes. So, here’s what you need to look out for?

Physical signs?

• Trouble sleeping?

• Feeling tired or exhausted all the time?

• Headaches?

• Muscle and joint pain?

• Tummy problems & loss of appetite?

• Regular illness because of a lowered immune system?

Emotional signs?

• Feeling overwhelmed?

• Feeling detached?

• Experiencing self-doubt, or like a failure?

• Feeling trapped or helpless?

• Feeling demotivated?

• Loss of interest or enjoyment in things you usually love?

• Feelings of dread, worry or anxiety?

Behavioural signs?

• Procrastination?

• Difficulty concentrating?

• Getting less done?

• Irritability which you take out on others?

• Withdrawing from people & cancelling plans?

• Using food, alcohol and drugs to cope?

How You?Got Here?

Is it any wonder you’ve got to this point in a sector where X% of staff report feeling stressed or overwhelmed over the last year? The sector runs on employee good will, the scope of a role often encompasses two or more jobs; impossible to fit into normal working hours as funding has become more and more squeezed. Not only this, you’re dealing with employees, stakeholders, funders and boards who are always asking for more. ?

This means that majority of leaders work an extra 10 hrs a week (that’s 3 months a year you’re working for free). Your whole career you’ve seen people going above and beyond (heck how many charities have going the extra mile, above and beyond or another variation as a value), so you just expect that you’ll have to do this without even questioning it.?

And you’ve done it happily; your work is something you’ve felt driven to do, it’s not just a job; it matters that you make a difference. Ultimately, it’s who you are. This in and of itself isn’t a bad thing, it motivates you, it gives you a sense of purpose and it helps you weather the storms; but it also means you expect so much more of yourself, you set yourself unrealistic expectations and it makes it difficult for you to switch off.?

In a sector that is still reeling from years of austerity and the pandemic; you're fighting an uphill battle, what you’re working for is important, it impacts on people’s lives. There’s every chance as you’re reading this, you’re working to make something better, but it feels likes its worse than ever. It seems more impossible than when you first started. Is it any?wonder your passion has turned to exhaustion.?

The Real Impact?

The impact of working in the way that you do?has ripples. There is of course the personal cost to you, the impact on your physical and emotional health, the strain on your relationships, the time and experiences you will miss with people you care about because you’re too exhausted to see them. Ultimately, if you don’t find ways to maintain your energy and shift the way you’re working, your body will decide for you.?

The effects ripple out to your team; they learn from you and will do what you do. If you’re overworking, not putting boundaries in place, they’ll do the same (just as you did). This in turn creates the culture of the organisation, you’ll find a pattern of presenteeism, overwhelm, burnout and recruitment issues spreading from the top down. But not only that, you and your teams will be trying to limp on, working ineffectively, which is going to impact on your ability to deliver on the strategy: it’s going to stop you making the difference you so desperately want to make.??

The Way?Forward?

It doesn’t have to be this way though, there are steps you can take right now if you recognise any of the signs that you’re running on empty in yourself?

First things first:?

• Stop! Take a break, you need to let yourself rest. Nothing is that urgent that it can’t wait, and if it is, someone else can do it (you’re not indispensable after all). I can already hear you saying that you can’t.?

• Say no! Decide what your non-negotiable boundaries are. I know there will be times you have to stay late, but this needs to be the exception not the norm.?

• Create a routine for switching off at the end of the workday.?

• Carve out time for reflection and planning it will help you keep yourself on track, and make sure you’re not working in a reactive way.?

• Take care of your sleep, nutrition and moving your body – all will give you energy?

• Prioritise time with loved ones and doing activities you love. Think quality not quantity.?

Check your thinking:?

• Let go of the things you can’t control. If you’re worrying about something, ask yourself if it’s in your control, if you can influence the situation, or if it’s out of your control. If you can control or influence it, get practical – write down what you’re going to do. If it’s out of your control, let go of it.?

• You can’t do everything, you’re one person. At the end of the day, make a list of what you have done (all of it). Look at it, you’ve done a good enough job.?

What support do you need??

• If you’re not getting support; ask for it. Tell people what you need, at work and at home.?

• Build a network. Being a charity leader is lonely, you’re often stuck with no one to talk to in the organisation, so build your own network, you’re not the only one.?

It’s easy to see why that early passion and motivation to make a difference can descend into exhaustion. But burnout isn’t inevitable, it is possible to turn things around, but boundaries in place, develop proactive working strategies?

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