🔥Understanding Burnout
It’s National Nonprofit Day—and while the sector celebrates impact, we also need to honor the people who make that impact possible.
In this first episode, I share my breaking point in nonprofit work, the toll of emotional labor, and why burnout isn’t an individual failure but a systemic issue. We’ll also discuss what a “breakthrough” can look like when we begin setting boundaries and protecting our humanity.
Topics:
- Honoring nonprofit workers without glorifying burnout
- The health toll of emotional suppression
- Why burnout is systemic, not about willpower
- Breakthrough as boundaries, not collapse
Reflection: What boundary could you set this week that honors your humanity over your exhaustion?
When we protect the people, we preserve the purpose.
References & Resources:
Want to dig deeper into the research I mentioned in this episode? Here are some places to start:
- Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Burnout: A brief history and how to prevent it. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2016/07/burnout-a-brief-history-and-how-to-prevent-it
- Baird, K. (2021). Nonprofit workers are stressed, burned out, and leaving. Stanford Social Innovation Review. https://ssir.org/articles/entry/nonprofit_workers_are_stressed_burned_out_and_leaving
- National Council of Nonprofits. (2023). The nonprofit workforce shortage crisis. https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/trends-policy-issues/nonprofit-workforce-shortage-crisis
- American Psychological Association. (2019). Stress effects on the body. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/body
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