Avoiding burnout in nonprofit fundraising.

Nonprofit fundraising can be incredibly rewarding. It can also be exhausting and overwhelming.

You're constantly juggling multiple priorities, managing relationships with multiple stakeholders, and trying to make a positive impact in your community.

With so much on your plate, it's easy to put 'taking care of yourself' last on your ever-growing, never-ending list of responsibilities.

And that, my friends, is a recipe for burnout.

Don't be shortsighted when it comes to your own well-being. Our profession deserves better. Your mission deserves better. YOU deserve better.

Here are a few simple tips to help you take better care of yourself so you can play the long game.

Stop

Establish clear boundaries between work and the rest of your life. Don't just establish the boundaries either - make sure you honor them. Stop working at the end of your day. Turn it off. Resist the urge to check emails or messages on nights and weekends. It’s okay. You were never meant to run continuously. Remember, everything will still be there in the morning.

Rest

After you stop, make sure you rest your body AND your mind. Remember, work is optional. Rest is mandatory. Stop obsessing so much about work when you’re not working. Unplug completely and do something that relaxes or energizes you. Be off on your days off. Take every last bit of vacation you have. And then, when you’ve used it all up, if you need a little more, why not ask your board or boss for a few more days? It’s good practice for asking people to give.

Play

Stop taking yourself so seriously. In fact, stop taking EVERYTHING so seriously. Discover a hobby. Find something to do on a regular basis that has no utility whatsoever other than the joy it provides. Do that thing as often as you can. Someone wise once told me, the bigger the difference you’re trying to make in the world and the longer the horizon of change you’re working toward, the more you need things in your life that operate on a shorter, more finite timeline. Bonus points if you can pick something that also makes you smile or laugh.

Connect

One of the reasons you’re probably good at fundraising is because you’re a natural connector. And that’s great. But are you putting as much energy into connecting with friends and loved ones outside of work as you put into connecting with givers in your work? Make time to connect with friends and family… even a phone call or video chat from time to time is better than nothing.

Get Active

Get outside. Take a walk. Go for a bike ride. Take up tennis. Roller blade. Try Tai Chi. Your body was made to move. Don’t squander that gift. Physical activity is a great way to reduce stress and increase energy. Find an activity you enjoy and carve out space to make it a regular part of your life.

Chase Beauty

Beauty heals. That’s a scientific fact. Taking time to appreciate the beauty of nature can help you feel more connected to the world around you and reduce stress. Get up early and watch the sunrise. Stop what you’re doing for a few moments a couple evenings a week and notice a sunset. Spend a little time gazing at the natural beauty of a mountain, ocean, desert, or prairie. Don’t have any of those nearby? Go find a park and see the beauty in the way the light hits the trees at various times of day.

Pursue Mastery

Humans were designed to enjoy and pursue mastery, but the nature of work today often makes mastery feel elusive. Pick something non-work related and start the journey toward mastery. Anything requiring dedication and skill development will work. Remember, the goal is to challenge yourself and learn something new, not to achieve perfection or impress others.

I can already hear the objections piling up:

"I'm trying to save/change the world. I don't have time for any of that!"

"Self-care is self-ish."

Taking care of yourself to avoid burnout is not selfish. Yes, it's good for you, but it's also good for your organization and the people you serve.

When the fruit of your work is measured in decades, you have to learn to play the long game.

That starts with taking care of yourself. When you do, you'll be better equipped to show up fully and make a meaningful impact in your work.

Do you need to establish clear boundaries? Rest? Play? Connect? Get active? Chase beauty? Pursue mastery?

What's one small step you can take today toward building one or two rhythms of care into your life?

Do you enjoy?#FundraisingFriday? Are you looking for more ways to grow as a fundraiser? Let's meet in Oklahoma City this September!

I'm hosting a half-day pre-conference workshop called?Resilient Fundraising?as part of the?CAFO Summit?in Oklahoma City on?September 20?and I'd love to see you there!

Learn more and register?here.