When I was young, I made a decision to dedicate my life to following my passion for climate action. And for more than a decade, I worked tirelessly to make this a reality. I managed a national employee engagement program at a globally recognized ENGO. I co-founded a volunteer-led group called Carbon Conversations TO (which is still running today). I explored ways to create change for good in my personal life by attending climate marches, becoming vegetarian, reducing my flights and volunteering at my local community garden. I visited and wrote to my MP to talk about climate change. Basically, every morning, from when I woke up to when I went to bed, I was living and breathing climate work.

Despite all this, I just couldn’t shake the crushing weight that no matter how hard I tried, I wouldn’t be able to move the dial on climate action. And as the years went on, my motivation waned and I felt more obligated than inspired to do the work that I once loved. Little did I know,  I was experiencing a range of symptoms consistent with the 12 stages of burnout as described by psychologist Herbert Freudenberger. Thankfully I didn’t reach full burnout stage 12 before I recognized something was wrong. But it still really impacted my life in a drastic way.

Burnout is so common for activists and people who are working to effect change for the greater good. I’m certainly not an expert on the topic (I’m still navigating this journey myself), But I have learned a lot in the self-work I’ve done.  I’d love to share my learnings with you today in hopes that you can find ways to take care of yourself as you navigate this complex world.

Common contributors to burnout

According to burnout expert Caitlin Donovan, burnout is triggered by a combination of factors, some being personal or related to our inner world, and some being more cultural and structural or connected to the world that surrounds us. These factors are all interconnected.

Personal: Examples of Inner Factors

Perfectionism: The tendency to set extremely high standards for yourself and strive for flawlessness in everything you do. It can lead to chronic stress and anxiety in those who consistently strive to reach an unattainable level. Unclear Boundaries or Difficulty Expressing Them: When there isn’t a clear line between what works for you and what doesn’t. Boundaries can be set in many different contexts (e.g. emotional, physical, work/life, time, etc.) Unclear boundaries can lead to difficulty saying no or articulating your needs. Self-worth: How you perceive your own value and worth as a person. Those with low self-worth may rely on external validation to feel they matter. This can lead to stress, anxiety, when validation isn’t given and can result in crossing personal boundaries to receive it. Fixed mindset: If you have a fixed mindset, you believe (whether consciously or subconsciously) that your skills, intelligence, and abilities can’t be improved over time. Those with fixed mindsets tend to have a strong fear of failure rather than see it as an opportunity for learning and growth. Not hearing our bodies: This means ignoring the signals and cues your body and mind send you, such as fatigue, stress, or emotional needs. When you don’t pay attention to these signals, you may push yourself too hard. Not enough rest: When you don’t give your body and mind the time they need to recover and recharge. Rest isn’t just about sleep (although that’s very important!). There are many types of rest needed to thrive.

Cultural & Structural: Examples of External Factors

Societal norms: The accepted behaviours and expectations within society. In our society, there are unrealistic standards of success and achievement, which can lead to us feeling like we’re never being or doing enough. Organizational cultures: The values, behaviours, and practices within a workplace. Factors that lead to burnout can include prioritizing overwork, competition, or lack of attunement to employee well-being (yes, this can exist even in nonprofit and social purpose-focused workplaces). Mental health support: Although this is changing, there’s still a lack of mental health support access for all. Accessing appropriate resources can be very expensive, preventing many from getting the care they need. Perpetual growth: The constant pursuit of profit, expansion and progress without regard for sustainable work-life balance. This can lead to overwhelming pressure and unrealistic demands from workplaces to their employees.  Oppressive social norms: Our oppressive society has created systemic inequalities (e.g. racism, patriarchy, ableism) that subject marginalized individuals to discrimination, bias, and unequal opportunities. Often this means they must work many times harder for the same opportunities as non-oppressed people.

Changing course: From burnout to balance

If there is only one thing you remember from this article, it’s this: Burnout is NOT your fault. Sure, there are steps you can take in your personal life to get more rest, practice mindfulness and set more realistic expectations. But there are also factors outside of our control that can create ripe conditions for low self-worth and exhaustion. With that said, there are things you can do to manage it. Here are 9 things you can consider to prevent the impacts of burnout from taking over your career and life:

1. Practice mindfulness. Simply put, mindfulness is the practice of attuning to the here and now, rather than worrying about the future or getting caught up in the past. Along with many other benefits, practicing mindfulness can help us recognize our body when it signals for support, get curious about needs that may not be met, and take supportive action more quickly. Practicing mindfulness doesn’t need to look like the stereotypical sitting meditation (although it can). It can also look like doing a gratitude practice, a quick body scan or doing exercises to activate each of your senses.
2. Be compassionate with yourself. Those with low self-worth might have a tendency to believe there’s something wrong and unfixable about them. Those with perfectionistic tendencies can judge themselves really harshly if they fail. Our brains, although misguided at times, are not out to get us. They react in these ways to protect us, and I think there’s something special about that! So, the next time you find your inner critic speaking up, ask yourself, “what would I tell a friend who was in my situation?” and let that self-compassion shine through.
3. Create a Community of Support. Just as trees are interconnected by a network of mycelium beneath the ground, we humans are also social creatures that need each other to thrive. I invite you to list all the people in your life who support you, and what you are comfortable asking for their support with. Notice if there are any gaps, or if there’s anyone else you might want to recruit to your support team.
4. Know your worth…and own it. When was the last time you celebrated yourself for something you did well? Or take account of your strengths, skills and achievements? Can you recall a moment where you made a good judgment call despite others telling you differently? These are all examples of how you add value to your relationships, organization and community. Keep track of them, celebrate them, and own them.
5. Articulate your needs and boundaries. When financial, workplace, relationship or any other external pressures start to cross your boundaries, one of the most supportive things you can do is learn how to articulate your needs in a respectful, empathetic and generative way. Nonviolent communication is an approach developed by Marshall Rosenberg that offers a masterful way to identify your own needs and communicate them to others in a way that supports you both to feel seen, heard and understood. I especially love the needs inventory they’ve developed!
6. Reconnect with your Agency. It’s very likely you’ll come across situations outside of your control that fill you with disappointment, frustration, or even rage. As important as it is to honour these feelings, it’s also important to see that you always have some level of personal agency accessible. What does lie within your power to change? Do you need to get yourself out of a toxic situation? Do you need to have a courageous conversation? Do you need to ask for support on how to respond to the situation? We always have a choice about how we behave in response to systemic challenges.
7. Find work that ignites your purpose. Think about a time when you felt like you were contributing to something greater than yourself. How did you feel? Living to your purpose can bring new energy into the work we do and help you stay resilient in turbulent times. And since work is such a huge part of our lives, it can be a fulfilling and worthwhile process to move toward what you’d LOVE to do. The best part is that you don’t even have to leave your existing role to find purpose – you can intentionally integrate it into your existing role.
8. Discover who you are outside of work. As impact professionals, our passion is so wrapped up in what we do for work that it’s often all we can think about. This can make it easy to forget about the potential for joy outside of our work lives. If we train ourselves to seek out that joy, through mindfulness and dedicated time for play, it can help us stay resilient, grounded, and energized as we continue running the marathon of addressing humanity’s greatest challenges.
9. Small, sweet steps. For those of you reading these tips and frantically jotting down a checklist of 50 things to do to combat your burnout, take a moment to breathe! You want to set yourself up for success. The best way to do that is by focusing on very small, tangible steps. Focus on 1 or 2 small(!) things to work on for the next 2 weeks and go from there. 

A note on seeking professional support

Therapy: Sometimes, when these steps simply aren’t doing it for you, there may be some deeper healing needed. This might be when reaching out to a therapist might be the most supportive option.

Coaching: In other cases, it may not be enough to work through this journey on your own. For those who like to have an accountability partner and sounding board along their path to recovery, working with a life coach may also be beneficial.

To sum it up, experiencing burnout is not your fault. But you absolutely can do something about it. And taking action for yourself will allow you to continue to make the difference you were meant to make in this world.

Try it yourself!

5 Minute Mindfulness Exercise: Exploring My Burnout Everyone’s experience with burnout is unique, and that means it’s up to you to explore your biggest challenges and experiment with solutions that work for you. As a starting point, I invite you to reflect on: ●      Are any of the 12 stages of burnout resonating with you? What symptoms are you experiencing? ●      Which common contributors to burnout are affecting you? ●      What’s one action you can take in the next 2 weeks to support and nurture yourself?

Amy Castator is a long-time climate activist and community builder. She is the co-founder and President of Carbon Conversations TO, and for 8 years, worked at WWF-Canada managing the award-winning Living Planet @ Work program. Amy has supported thousands of employees from workplaces across the country to take action for nature. Amy is now the Founder of Amy Castator Coaching, a life coaching practice that helps people create and move toward a vision for a life they love that integrates purpose, care for our planet, and care for themselves.