Avoiding Burnout

Burnout is a condition to be treated with care and respect. It's awful hearing the tales of fellow activists being unable to get out of bed for a fortnight because they 'just can't face things anymore'.

Jamie Parker, a notable Sydney activist, has a few tips to help avoid this dreaded phenomenon that can overwhelm the best of us.

'Sustainable activism' - we all talk about sustainability of the planet, but what about sustainability for those who seek to defend the planet?

Sustainable activism is about recognising our limitations, potential and successes.

A victory in any campaign needs to be measured day by day, letter by letter and action by action. If we only see the goal of a campaign, say, as closing a mine, or saving a forest from being logged, then we are bound to lose many of our supporters and energy, as the objective is often too many years away from victory.

There are scores of victories to be had in each campaign. These need to be identified and celebrated. It's a simple way of keeping your campaign in perspective and can help to keep morale high.

Doing anything counter to the status quo is a victory in itself! So celebrate the fact that your group has continued to meet for a year or more. Celebrate that your letter to the editor was published and raised your concerns as public issues.

Every positive action is another victory and every campaign is a string of victories.

 

 

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