Nonprofit employees are being hit with plenty of stressors: limited budgets, small teams, and now a pandemic that’s stretching resources and workers even thinner. Take the wrong approach to managing this stress and you’ll burn out quickly.

For example, have you decided not to take a vacation so you can tackle these new work challenges? It could take a toll on you.

“Just because psychologists say vacations are important to reducing stress and improving overall well-being, it doesn’t mean taking one is necessary—right? Wrong,” says Wild Apricot’s Tatiana Morand. “Vacations can reduce our risk of heart disease and other chronic illnesses, improve our mental health, and strengthen our relationships with family and friends.”

You might also be saying “yes” to any assignment that comes your way in an effort to help out your limited staff. However, if you’re overworked, your performance will suffer and so will your health.

“But there’s something you can do about it. Just say no,” Morand says. “Regardless of your role at your organization, you have every right to let your manager know when you’re at your limit and simply can’t take on additional projects.”

Maybe you brush off chronic exhaustion as unavoidable—or even normal—as you work through a difficult period.

“Feeling tired for a day or two because of an early day, late night, or busy schedule is normal. Feeling tired for weeks on end is not,” Morand says. “If this is you, take a moment to acknowledge that your current approach to work isn’t, well, working for you anymore—and then take steps to re-balance and re-prioritize.”

Newsletter-preneurs

How Substack has spawned a new class of newsletter entrepreneurs https://t.co/42XxNLWtsg

— Digiday (@Digiday) July 1, 2020

There may be a new kind of creative class on the rise, and it’s one that association pros should keep an eye on. Digiday reports on the massive success many newsletter authors have seen with Substack, a paid newsletter service that allows individuals to create their own membership-style subscription platforms, which can also include podcasts.

“Substack enjoys a growing profile in the media industry, but it’s not a consumer brand,” Steven Perlberg writes. “The company is fine with that. Substack wants to be behind the scenes, taking its cut as writers interact with their devoted readers.”

The article cites multiple examples of newsletter authors who have earned six figures annually with the model.

Other Links of Note

Protect your phone. Lifehacker reports on an array of Android apps designed to steal your Facebook password. Here’s what you should delete.

Need some ideas for your social posts this month? The Nonprofit Marketing Guide has a few that go far beyond fireworks.

Don’t let silos kill your marketing. At CMSWire, writer Kaya Ismail highlights the risks that isolated departments can have for omnichannel marketing.

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