Let's Talk About Burnout
Today on the Short Stories podcast we’ll be addressing the topic of burnout.
Have you ever felt an ongoing, lingering stress that’s left you exhausted, irritable, negative, or feeling overwhelmed? If so, that state can likely be attributed to burnout. And you’re definitely not alone.
Burnout can affect many people who work in the nonprofit sector, and it sometimes goes unaddressed. Many organizations in the sector have small teams, small budgets, and are often expected to do the work of a much larger team with very limited resources.
Our guest Marina Dawson shares her personal story about burnout and how she addressed it. Here are some of our favourite quotes from the conversation:
“I don’t believe burnout has to come hand-in-hand with working in the nonprofit sector.”
“If we don’t address this problem, we’re already seeing what some are calling an HR crisis in the sector.”
Marina also shared some great resources about burnout during our discussion. We’ve shared her suggestions below:
Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski
The Weekend Effect by Katrina Onstad
If Women Rose Rooted and The Enchanted Life by Sharon Blackie
Anything by psychologist James Hollis, Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life or What Matters Most are good places to start.
Marina Dawson is a communications and content consultant with more than 20 years of experience working in Canada’s nonprofit sector. She most recently spent 15 years with CharityVillage, including as the Director, Marketing & Communications. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time outdoors, rocking out to her favourite music, and curling up with a good book and a cup of tea.