Hi everyone. It’s been four years since I left being a nonprofit executive director and became “Financially Untethered” (FU), and let me tell you, it’s been amazing. I sleep better, no longer waking up in the middle of the night, whimpering “I hope we can make payroll, I hope we can make payroll.” The involuntary twitch in my left eye is still there, but it’s gradually devolving into a sly wink. And I have started reverse-aging and now only look 54!
Jokes aside, today’s topic is about the toll nonprofit work takes on our physical health, and what actions we can take. The work that many of us do in this field often comes at great costs, such as taking financial hits that leave many people unsure about their future retirement plans. There are also mental health challenges that come from being stressed out all the time. I don’t think, though, that we often stop to think about what this work does to us in terms of our physical health and the years it’s taking from us.
In the past week, I spoke to two former nonprofit leaders. One talked about having visceral psychosomatic symptoms in even thinking of her previous job, which was focused on advancing equity. The other reported feeling her health improving mere days after she resigned from her position. These are not uncommon occurrences. I remember always being sick the first three days of every vacation (during the rare times I took any long breaks). And skipping meals and being exhausted all the time.
Sure, some of these falls on our own personal responsibility. Nonprofit people are some of the worst when it comes to healthy meals, for example. Those of you reading this during your lunch time while you munch on a granola bar or some pretzels, I’m talking about you. We need to do a better job with nutrition, exercise, sleep routines, etc. Eat a balanced meal for lunch, ideally away from your desk. Go on more walking/mobile meetings. Take your vacations.
However, the field itself needs to do a better job acknowledging how damaging this work can be, and to take steps to improve the situation, instead of just placing the onus mostly on staff to take care of their own health. We’ve been neglecting the issue, or have just accepted it as par for the course, that it’s a given when we enter this profession. And over the past few years of the pandemic, it’s been getting worse; I see more and more colleagues getting sick from various ailments and for longer periods of time. Our general health problems are being magnified by long covid. No wonder fewer and fewer people want to take on nonprofit leadership. Or nonprofit work in general.
It shouldn’t be this way. No one should have to sacrifice their own health and well-being to make the world better. Here are a few things for us all to consider and act on:
Nonprofits: Have a meeting with your team and discuss wellness and what can be done to improve it for everyone. Solutions may vary from org to org, but I can imagine there are some universal things. For instance, pay everyone better! You’ll be surprised how much people’s wellbeing improves when they have more disposable income and don’t have to freak out every time there’s a sickness or car problem.
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