When asked why they work for a nonprofit organization, most professionals state passion as a primary reason. We know that we’ll likely not get rich by working in a small or medium-sized nonprofit but because of our passion for the organization’s mission, we happily take the pay cut and spend more than 40 hours either on the job or thinking about the job. We take on task after task, telling ourselves that we can handle it and that we don’t want to burden the volunteers or colleagues with more assignments. Slowly, but surely, we start approaching Burnout Syndrome.
Burnout Syndrome
Burnout Syndrome is a multifaceted condition that affects both your personal and professional life. Symptoms of depression can often mimic or overlap the Burnout symptoms. If you are concerned that you are experiencing depression or Burnout Syndrome, please seek help.
Causes and risk factors include:
- Work-life imbalance – you’re focusing so much on work that your social life takes a hit.
- Lack of resources – you can’t hire additional staff or get enough volunteers to help with a specific program or fundraiser.
- Unclear job expectations – a lot of times in a nonprofit organization, we wear so many hats that we don’t know what is actually expected of us.
- Heavy workload – you take on more tasks and assignments than you can possibly handle.
Strategies to avoid or overcome Burnout Syndrome
Although we often hear (or maybe say) “I’m burned out”, Burnout Syndrome is a severe condition that can have significant consequences and nothing that we should take lightly. It can cause insomnia, chronic stress, sadness, irritability, anger, high blood pressure, heart disease and lower your immune system. So, what should we do to avoid getting burned out? Well, everyone is different but here are a few things you could consider to keep from burning out:
- Learn to say “no”. I know, we want to please and help everyone, which is probably one of the reasons we’re in the nonprofit field to begin with. However, you can’t help everyone and sometimes you just have to make the choice to keep yourself sane and healthy.
- Delegate. Handing tasks to others does not mean that you are avoiding responsibility or not doing your job, as long as you supervise and make sure that the person completes the job.
- Practice mindfulness. Start with meditation, yoga, or other mindful-based practice. Some individuals are the most relaxed when running or doing some other type of exercise. Find what gives you stress relief and the feeling of Zen.
- Hire more staff, where possible. This might not be feasible for all organizations but if many of your staff members feel stressed, you should consider bringing in one or two extra employees.
- Recruit additional volunteers. Volunteers are a wonderful asset to your nonprofit. Try to find a job that fits the specific volunteer, where they can use their particular skillset.
- Seek professional help.
Let Us Help!
If you are stressed out from wearing too many hats or having too much on your plate, let us help you! Our services include grant writing and coaching, where we can brainstorm additional fundraising ideas, ways to recruit volunteers, or how to strategize your daily life to reduce stress and become more efficient. You can also receive feedback on written grants before submitting them, maximizing your chances at receiving the grant. Whatever the problem, I’m sure we can work through it together. Best part? The services start at $39/month! So, what are you waiting for? Go online today at jlmconsultinggw.com or email grants@jlmconsultinggw.com and see how we can help you!
