How do you cope with stress and burnout as a volunteer advocate?

1 Recognize the signs

If you're feeling overwhelmed or exhausted, it is important to be aware of the signs that may indicate stress and burnout. These can include feeling irritable, frustrated, or angry; having difficulty concentrating or making decisions; having trouble sleeping or eating; experiencing physical symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, or pain; isolating yourself from others or avoiding social activities; and using alcohol, drugs, or other substances to cope. If you recognize any of these signs in yourself, it is essential to acknowledge them and seek help if necessary. Don't ignore or downplay your feelings, as they can have a considerable impact on your health, performance, and relationships.

2 Set boundaries

To cope with stress and burnout, it is important to set healthy boundaries between your volunteer work and personal life. This could include saying no to tasks or requests that are beyond your capacity or role, communicating availability and expectations clearly and respectfully, taking regular breaks and days off without guilt, delegating or sharing responsibilities with other volunteers or staff, asking for support or feedback when needed, and respecting your own and others' limits and preferences. Establishing these boundaries can help you avoid taking on too much, feeling resentful, or compromising your quality of work. Additionally, it can assist in balancing your time and energy between your volunteer work and other commitments and interests.

3 Practice self-care

Self-care is not a luxury, but a necessity for volunteer advocates, which means taking care of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs and doing activities that make you happy and healthy. Examples of self-care include eating well and staying hydrated, getting enough sleep and rest, exercising regularly and staying active, meditating or praying, seeking professional help or counseling if needed, expressing your feelings and thoughts in a journal or a creative way, connecting with friends, family, or other supportive people, and engaging in hobbies or passions that bring you joy and fulfillment. Practicing self-care can help reduce stress, boost moods, enhance resilience, restore energy, and increase appreciation for oneself and one's work.

4 Learn and grow

Being a volunteer advocate can bring many benefits, such as improving skills and knowledge, developing confidence and self-esteem, broadening perspective, finding meaning and purpose in work, and discovering new opportunities. To learn and grow as a volunteer advocate, you can seek feedback and guidance from supervisors, mentors, or peers; participate in training, workshops, or webinars; read books, articles, or blogs; join networks, groups, or forums; and reflect on achievements, challenges, and goals. This learning and growth can help you cope with stress and burnout while also staying motivated, curious, and positive.

5 Celebrate and appreciate

Finally, one of the best ways to cope with stress and burnout as a volunteer advocate is to celebrate and appreciate yourself and others. This could involve recognizing and acknowledging your efforts, expressing gratitude and praise, sharing stories, successes, and challenges with others, celebrating milestones and achievements with others, and having fun. Celebrating and appreciating can help you feel valued, respected, and connected as a volunteer advocate. It can also create a positive and supportive culture among your team and organization.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?