Founder Files | Issue 3
We Almost Burned Out — Here’s What We Changed
By Two Registered Nurses turned Nonprofit Co-leaders
Ashley and Veronica celebrating Crayola Day at Lached Support
Burnout sneaks up on you.
At first, it looks like drive. Like commitment. Like showing up “no matter what.”
That was us — answering emails at 2am, planning programs while nursing babies, applying for funding in parking lots, showing up to community events with a smile and a half-charged phone.
We told ourselves: this is just the startup phase.
But the “phase” didn’t end. And the exhaustion didn’t either.
We didn’t burn out all at once. We frayed slowly — and quietly.
Until we realized: if we didn’t change something, we’d lose the very thing we were trying to build.
What Burnout Looked Like For Us
Burnout didn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it looked like:
Snapping at each other during strategy calls
Avoiding hard conversations because we didn’t have the energy
Starting to resent the very work we loved
Feeling like we could never “turn off” — even on weekends or birthdays
Crying in silence after meetings where we smiled through it
It wasn’t just about being tired. It was about being unsustainable.
And in a field where we preach sustainability, that hit hard.
The Myth of "Just Push Through"
There’s a quiet pressure in nonprofit and care work to be grateful, tireless, and endlessly giving. Especially when you’re a woman. Especially when you’re a woman of color. Especially when you’re working in underfunded, under-resourced spaces.
We didn’t want to disappoint anyone — not our team, our board, our community.
So we pushed. And pushed. And slowly became versions of ourselves that didn’t feel whole.
“Burnout isn’t just about doing too much. It’s about doing too much for too long without real support.”
What We Changed (that actually helped)
We didn’t fix it with one retreat or a self-care hashtag.
We made real, structural shifts — in our leadership, our systems, and ourselves.
Here’s what helped us stay:
1. We made rest a strategic priority
We didn’t just encourage our team to take breaks. We built policies around rest—flex schedules, mental health days, and enforced time off. And most importantly, we modeled it.
2. We clarified our “no”
Every yes costs something.
So we created a framework: Does this opportunity align with our current goals? Do we have the capacity to do it well? Does it help our people, not just our profile?
If it’s not a clear yes — it’s a no.
3. We built in check-ins that weren’t about deliverables
We started meeting just to ask:
How are you really doing?
What’s feeling heavy?
What support do you need?
Sometimes we canceled meetings just to rest. And nothing fell apart.
4. We hired support before we felt “ready”
Hiring admin and ops support changed everything. It didn’t just take tasks off our plate — it gave us breathing room to lead, not just survive.
If you’re waiting to hire until you feel less overwhelmed — you may never do it.
5. We got clear on what only we could do
We made lists. We delegated what didn’t require our presence. We trusted our team. We let go of control — not accountability.
And guess what? Our work didn’t weaken. It grew.
We're Not Immune — But We Are Intentional
We still feel the pull to overwork. We still get emails that make our shoulders tense. We still say yes when we should’ve paused.
But now we know the signs.
And we’ve built a team culture where we can say:
“I’m at capacity.”
“I need backup.”
“This can wait.”
That is leadership. That is sustainability. That is care.
What we wish someone told us earlier
You can’t outwork a broken system — but you can burn yourself out trying.
Leading well means protecting your energy, not just your calendar.
Rest is not earned. It’s necessary.
You deserve to stay in the work — and to still have a life.
People who truly support your mission won’t be shocked when you take care of yourself.
You don’t have to break to be taken seriously
We don’t want our team — or our community — to think you have to sacrifice your health to make an impact.
The truth is, this work is too important to do while running on empty.
So if you’re there — close to the edge, or already over it — we see you.
And we’re here to say: you can come back.
Not just to the work — but to yourself.
Free Guide:
We’re creating a Burnout Recovery Reflection Guide to help you or your team name what’s been draining you — and start shifting what’s possible.
#FounderFiles #NonprofitLeadership #BurnoutRecovery #SustainableCare #TheBirthAndCareGuild
