“Preventing Burnout at 7 Cups” Essentials

• For a lot of us 7cups offers many exciting opportunities. We get to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. We get the opportunity to serve others. But there are so many opportunities and there are so many possibilities. It can be easy to say yes to everything and find yourself overwhelmed and overworked.

• We all have the right to say no but it is easier said than done. It can be hard at times to turn down another opportunity or to decide your own limits and boundaries. But burnout is very real and it can take something positive like 7 Cups and turn it into a negative part of your life.

• ‘This is a marathon not a sprint,’ so we need to learn to pace ourselves and keep our eyes on the bigger picture.

• Burn out reduces your productivity and it robs you of the joy of doing the work you once loved.

 

Communicate your needs

A big part of preventing and treating burnout is to learn to ask for support. This can mean reaching out to mentors to discuss any challenges you are facing. If you are in a leadership role, you can reach out to your team and voice any needs you have.

As humans we make these assumptions, sometimes we assume there is no support out there for us, other times we assume we will be judged for reaching out. But the reality is that here on 7 Cups, no matter what your role is, you have venues to reach out for support and help. Doing so ensures that you don’t burn out. No one truly knows what the other person is going through unless they speak up. Therefore communication is incredibly important.

Get in the habit of communicating your needs and limitations to your team/support system.

For example, Anna is a forum supporter, she has been hosting check-ins for her sub-community for sometime now but lately she has been struggling with her own mental health and finding the task to be triggering. So Anna reaches out to her sub-community’s Community Mentor Leader and voices her concerns. They have a chat and Anna decides that she needs some self-care and takes a break from the task. The CML helps find someone to cover for the task whilst Anna takes a break.

Reflect on your own 7 Cups roles and responsibilities, think about how you can do a better job of communicating your needs.
 

Evaluate your workload periodically

It is important to periodically review your workload and determine if it is reasonable. You may find yourself taking on more responsibilities and roles as you spend more and more time serving the community. In such a case it is important to be aware of how much you have on your plate and consider removing a few items/tasks if it is too much. This is key in preventing burnout.

What have you done to prevent burnout today?

This can a variety of things like:

• Saying no to a task because you have enough on your plate

• Taking part in self-care activities

• Taking a self-care break from 7 Cups

 

Remember to take care of yourself

We value the work you do on 7 Cups. But remember you can not pour from an empty cup. Make it a priority to take care of yourself. Ensure that you are taking time out for yourself each and every day. Know when to take a step back and turn to self-care.

Taking care of yourself is not just about self-care activities. It is learning to say no, placing and maintaining boundaries, and knowing when to back away. At 7 Cups this means, knowing when a chat may be triggering and referring the member, and reaching out for support yourself.

As a leader this means knowing when to reach out for support, knowing when to say no to work and knowing when to step down. All of this is included in taking care of yourself. You come first!
 

 

The Complete Growth Path here. Happy self-caring!