Burnout Prevention

Resources:

• Burnout rating scale - assess where you are and then decide on a very small step to address where you are on the scale. This scale was originally created by the ACLU.

• Burnout - What it is and how to address it by Dean Spade

• A Love Letter to the Overcommitted - by Cheyenna Layne Weber

• Trauma Stewardship by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky

• The Lifelong Activist by Hilary Rettig

• Emergent Strategy by adrienne maree brown

• Fired Up or Burnt Out? workshop - offered online by The Icarus Project. Sign up for their newsletter to take it when they next offer it

Avoiding burnout:

Burnout is common, and whether or not you think you are susceptible to it, you should plan and prepare for it. Many people use addictive behaviors to cope with burnout, including using in order to keep up an unsustainable pace. The first step to getting out of this cycle is recognition. Then, small shifts. Here are are some suggestions in addition to the above resources:

• Always involve other people in your work, so if you need to rest there is somebody who can step in. Don't make yourself the central "star" of a project - share responsibilities and train people to carry on tasks. You might even consider rotating duties.

• In activism, do not assume that "self-care" is an excuse to step away from solidarity fights where you can "opt out" if you don't feel like it. Those who are struggling to survive, in recovery or in our society, don't get to opt out of that fight. Don't commit if you're unable to see it through.

• Only sign up for what you can reasonably do, and no more. It is disrespectful to your colleagues, to your cause, and yourself to take on more than you can and then not do it. Saying no can be hard, but it is the most effective strategy for burnout prevention.

• Avoid perfectionism. Try out a strategy of "good enough" or the "80% rule," knowing that your good enough or 80% effort is almost always satisfactory and nothing has to be perfect or all of your energy.

• Be thoughtful about consuming media. Do you need to follow every fight? Or are there ways you can stay plugged in to your communities and issues that are more nourishing? Perhaps you can follow social justice leaders on social media rather than endlessly consume the content paid pundits create.

• In activism, be strategic about what fights you take on directly. Choose two issues or movements that you want to give your time and labor to, and get involved in those. If other things that come up that you want to support in an emergency response, consider fundraising for them or donating instead of trying to devote time you don't have.

• Stick the landings on recovery routines, and take care of your mind, body, and heart, and you'll notice burnout is more easily prevented or rectified.