How to prevent feelings of burnout in systems change work.

Photo by Kalen Emsley on Unsplash

Visualize this: you are at the bottom of a mountain, about to embark on a hike. There is no end in sight and all you can see are obstacles and treacherous hiking conditions. A storm is rolling in. No one is around. You all of a sudden don’t feel prepared and this hike, although once an exciting goal of yours, is now feeling impossible. That is what systems change work can feel like at times.

Leading Upstream defines systems change as the process of “radically shifting the policies, cultures, and practices to address the root causes of complex societal issues”. Leading Upstream specifically works towards preventing gender-based violence, which is rooted in white supremacy and white supremacy.

Let’s face it: systems change work can feel overwhelming, isolating, or even downright impossible at times. When we work towards massive goals that can take years, decades, or even centuries to accomplish, it’s easy to feel a sense of burnout. Many times we ask ourselves, “am I even making an impact?”. The feeling of working tirelessly day in and day out without a clear understanding of the actual impact of our work is exhausting and frustrating. However, there are ways to combat this feeling of systems change burnout.

1. Identify small goals. If we are working to change or even dismantle systems, it can be easy to feel that we aren’t making an impact as long as those systems remain relatively unchanged. However, by identifying small goals we are able to easily break the massive, ultimate goals into more management tasks. The ultimate goal may be to end all forms of gender-based violence, for example, but there are numerous smaller goals to accomplish on the way that help us reach our ultimate goal.
2. Celebrate the small wins. By identifying the small goals we are able to celebrate the small victories along the way. Did you help to shift the mindset of one individual? Celebrate that win! Did a piece of legislation pass committee and move on to the House for a vote? Celebrate that win! Did your organization change a policy that is more inclusive? Celebrate that win! Is there still more work that needs to be done after these small wins? Absolutely — but celebrating these small wins can help us sustain the motivation needed to accomplish the ultimate goal.
3. Focus on the end goal. As burnout begins to form it can be easy to lose sight of what the end goal is, especially if we are experiencing significant challenges or barriers in our work. However, remaining focused on the ultimate end goal can help remind us of why we are doing this work and why it’s important to persevere.
4. Re-evaluate your strategy regularly. It can be incredibly de-motivating or frustrating to be working on a specific strategy only for it to be ineffective or heading in the wrong direction. Stay focused on the end goal, but adjust the pathway regularly. It’s important to regularly evaluate the effectiveness of your current strategy and make adjustments as needed. There is never one singular path towards true systems change, and sometimes adjustments are required to keep us motivated and to find the more effective route to our end goal. Sometimes taking the time to step back and reevaluate can actually get us to our end goal quicker.
5. Join forces! Systems change work can feel very isolating, and it can feel even more overwhelming when it feels like we are single-handedly trying to change these massive systems. However, there are always other people working to change the same systems as you. Research who is working on the same goal and reach out. This not only can help combat feelings of isolation, but also can help with information sharing, co-creation, and collaboration which creates for a stronger movement.

Systems change takes a multifaceted approach involving many people, different perspectives, various strategies, and most of all — time. Be patient, practice self-care, and keep going!

To learn more about systems change or reducing burnout, visit Leading Upstream Consulting at www.leadingupstream.com or contact me at caitlin@leadingupstream.com.