The number one cause of burnout in nonprofits is limited human resources, slow recruitment, lack of work-life balance, and unhealthy working norms. You need to make sure that people are given work that does not stop them from being able to enjoy their lives. In nonprofits, staff working overtime is encouraged by some supervisors. Give staff the opportunity to work from home if they show that they are able to handle their work. Lead by results instead of being a micromanager.

It is important to prioritize your work when you have a small staff and a large workload. There is a tendency for non-profits to add just one more service or serve just one more population or geography. These additional services often come with little additional staffing or finances which spreads out human capital and fiscal resources more thinly. A clear mission with measurable outcomes of effectiveness is critical to organizational effectiveness. Developing precise metrics and adhering to them can help stop organizational drift which adds to burnout.

1) Hire people who actually want to bring a change along with you. The main attribute and quality your team needs to possess is altruism. Now, even people who are altruistic in nature can have burnout later down the line. Therefore, it's crucial to have a strategic leader and not a boss in your organization so that workload gets properly distributed in your team.  2) As a leader, you need to keep your team spirit high and tell them from time to time that what they are doing is actually bringing a change in this world. This is very important because your team, especially volunteers, can often feel like they are not gaining much or earning much in life compared to their peers in a profit organization.

Work life balance is very important, disconnect totally from the work related once you are out of the office . Sport is very key to reduce the stress and barn out , avoid alcohol as way of reducing stress as it increases stress instead of reducing . Read books and listen to music or watching movies .

Oddly, I haven't found that the solution to burnout is reducing workload. More often, people are exhausted because they don't see any progress being made, that they're in a never ending, inexplicable hamster wheel. Time away, flexible schedules, regular check-ins -- that's all good. The question is, how do you reconnect to the impact you want to have, or maybe are having, but you can't see it from where you are? I've had some success with assigning a special project, something short term with a clear mission outcome that requires creativity and judgment. The energy and satisfaction people derive from something new typically comes back to their regular work.

To combat burnout in your nonprofit team, assess workloads, set realistic goals, and foster open communication. Encourage work-life balance through flexible arrangements and adequate support. Prioritize self-care initiatives and recognize team efforts to boost morale. A supportive environment enhances well-being and engagement, ensuring effectiveness in achieving your mission. Remember, your team observes leadership behavior; how leaders act influences trust and openness about burnout. By modeling healthy practices and maintaining dialogue, you can create a resilient, motivated team ready to tackle challenges and pursue your nonprofit's objectives.

One thing I’ve found helpful is to add celebration among different work groups and among different status levels. Enjoy time after a big deadline, a huge event or a stressful situation to take time together - during work hours. Don’t expect employees to sacrifice their own time for more work related activities. Encourage new associations among employees and plan activities of their interests.

One thing I've found helpful is to do a Mental Toughness Warrior team building in nature (hiking, trekking, mountain climbing). It takes their minds of work for a day or 2, refresh teamwork, and refocus on what matters. For details or a MTW experience, I can help to plan yours.