Nonprofits do important work within communities, but when organizations take a more hands-on-the-ground approach, leaders, staff members and volunteers alike may all find themselves mentally and physically exhausted in the long term.
To help, 11 members from Forbes Nonprofit Council offer advice on how nonprofit professionals can continue finding joy in the work they do, even when things get tough.
Members of Forbes Nonprofit Council share advice on how nonprofit professionals can manage the tough parts of the job without losing their passion.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.1. Set Boundaries
You cannot pour from an empty cup. As professionals, our ability to stay committed to our mission is dependent on our ability to invest in ourselves and in our families. Burnout is real, especially in this sector. Take PTO and encourage reports to do the same. Draw boundaries, be present with your family and be as dialed into your own needs as you are into the community's needs. - Chris Wilkie, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
2. Connect To Their Purpose
I believe one thing nonprofit professionals can do to continue finding joy in work is connecting to their purpose. We show up, attend meetings and make decisions, but consider what is really filling up your cup. Purpose often changes over time. For me, I am settled into my leadership position and I have a strong leadership team. My purpose today is elevating those leaders and staff members to their next level. - Martha Mather, UOFL HEALTH - PEACE HOSPITAL
Forbes Nonprofit Council is an invitation-only organization for chief executives in successful nonprofit organizations. Do I qualify?
3. Show Your Appreciation For Others
Share your gratitude and appreciation for others as often as possible. Being appreciative of others brings joy to your work and life. Find ways to thank, acknowledge and celebrate the work of others publicly and frequently. Doing this will fill others with joy, create a positive workplace culture and fill you with tons of joy too. - Troy Dunmire, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
4. Support Staff Members With Resources
Direct community-based work for a cause can energize nonprofit professionals and volunteers, but too much time in the trenches, especially in the most challenging social causes, can be emotionally draining. Have adequate resources and a plan in place to address staff mental and physical health with strong boots-on-the ground efforts to avoid overwork and burnout within the staff and volunteer ranks. - Victoria Burkhart, The More Than Giving Company
5. Regularly Connect With Your Team
Stop and take the time to connect with your team. To celebrate personal successes and accomplishments, break bread and talk about everyone's new Covid puppy or pet! It is important to schedule this time in, as we all get so caught up with keeping our heads down to work through the day-to-day tasks that we forget that we all need to recharge. - Jaime Boldt, Globe Theatre
6. Spend Time Immersed In The Mission
When I need a boost, I spend time with the people we serve. It might be a visit to our manufacturing facility where our most significantly disabled adults learn and work, or it could be speaking to youth in our YouthWorks program. Engaging in the mission refills my tank and reminds me of my purpose. - Kimberly Lewis, Goodwill Industries of East Texas, Inc.
7. Schedule Time To Disconnect
Take a consistent amount of time daily, weekly or monthly to find a place of silence where no technology or people can interrupt. Just think. Think about times in the past where you have seen success in the mission you serve. Ponder these moments and allow them to center you on what is most important and that will return you to the "why" of what you do. - David Wills, National Christian Foundation
8. Get Involved With Different Kinds Of Work
I have found new joy in my work through cleaning horse stalls. This may seem crazy, but hear me out—this is my self-care. I began volunteering at a local farm whose mission is completely different from NCVC's. Having the chance to engage with children and see that mission grow and succeed gave me a fresh take on my own work at NCVC. - Renee Williams, National Center for Victims of Crime
9. Celebrate The Successes Of Others
Cheering on your colleagues’ success can be contagious. Creating an atmosphere of collaboration and positive reinforcement is crucial when you’re working for a greater cause. Harness everyone’s skill set and weave those experiences together into something even greater than the sum of its parts, which are already remarkable on their own. - Jose Luis Castro, Vital Strategies
10. Set Difficult Goals
If you aren't finding joy in your work as a nonprofit leader, chances are you don't have a big hairy audacious goal, or BHAG, for your organization. A BHAG is a challenge that is so difficult that it may seem unrealistic. No matter how exhausting your days can be and no matter how many sleepless nights you have, you will find joy in the journey if you've set the right complicated and daring goal. - Joy Burkhard, 2020 Mom
11. Have A Clear Sense Of The Progress Being Made
We have all been in that zone where you are getting things done and loving it. It's when you're focused and people need to pry you away from your task. Those are the moments when you sit back, look at your work and say, "Wow, that's darn good!" Joy can be found all around us as long as we have a clear sense of progress and the tools to do it. Big or small, just as long as progress is happening in the right direction, joy can be easily found. - Howard Chi, SF SPCA
