@zoeamar just shared a fantastic thread from @KimShutler on mental health and burnout (pls give it a read)

I wanted to share my 2-cents, but it ended up as another v. long thread But f**k it, it was cathartic to write so here goes...

1/12

2/13 As a Founder-led charity, being the only member of staff working 60+ hour a week was standard (upwards of 100+ for events), but it was ok because it was my passion, my dream, my life - for over 8 years...

3/13 I had Martyr syndrome BAD - if I wasn’t burnt-out & exhausted I wasn’t doing enough. It was a badge of honour that I prided myself on. Even if it was to the detriment of my health; constant illness, feeling run-down & a couple of serious kidney infections didn’t even stop me

4/13 I wasn’t actually getting anywhere - everything was reactive and I wasn’t being productive or working smart… I was just working. No self-care, no me-time & that constant feeling of not being able to relax (y’know, when your adrenaline is going ALL. THE. TIME)

5/13 I had no resilience. One bit of bad news, one grant rejection, one snotty email and my head was gone. Fuzzy, stressed and most of the time wanting a nap. But it was ok because I could just get up and work again later

6/13 The pandemic, or more accurately the mental and physical break I was forced to take, was the single most gamechanging thing that has happened for me and my charity. I had no idea how much I needed to re-assess literally every aspect of my working life.

7/13 Before getting back to work I took the time to step-back and work out my priorities: family self-care work (in that order) and how I can build my charity back from the brink in a sustainable way to allow us to achieve our mission.

8/13 Which led to the re-design and re-build of @rctcharity with a digital-first strategy in a remote and flexible working environment (shout-out to @annadaytweets for her mentorship!)

9/13 The work we do is important, but nothing is more important than the people who are undertaking that work. Working remotely and flexibly has its challenges - but this new way of working takes a new type of leadership.

10/13 This new ethos; focusing on self-care, empathising with life-commitments & rewarding outcomes not hours-spent-working - is the future. It’s the only way I can find a suitable work/life integration & its damn well going to be taught to volunteers & staff members joining us

11/13 First in my default diary is childcare, then family time, then getting out running, then work - which is flexible, but structured deep-work focused on one priority a day with time for meditation and gratitude. Outcomes, not output.

12/13. So, here I am after many sleepless nights, having watched Frozen 2 more times than I’d care to admit - supporting a wife who is burnt-out from endless illnesses, childcare and lockdown - wearing my Hoodyblanket and signing off for the day

13/13 If anyone wants to respond to this thread, I’ll get back to you tomorrow