Yes, the pandemic and the Great Resignation resulted in a national conversation about burnout. But the discussion was well overdue and has brought to light our burnout battles at work and in our communities. Now, with the changing political and financial landscapes, these issues are becoming even more critical. Social justice leaders and workers are feeling the strain of working with less resources to meet more demanding needs. The work itself presented a natural stressor due to its importance, the need of many constituents, and resource challenges such as staffing shortages.

And, while the work itself could also provide a necessary salvo in that dedication to a great mission fuels many of us to keep going, we also know that there can be too much of a good thing. As we seek to increase our impact, social justice leaders and seekers must ask the question: is my organization fostering a culture of well-being? Well-being is a holistic concept addressing all aspects of our lives, not just our workplace. It is too vast a topic to address adequately in a blog. 

But there are some points we can flag.

First, we have to recognize burnout as not just a symptom of a well-being problem in our organizations. Leaders are concerned about burnout, as demonstrated again and again, and most recently in the Center for Effective Philanthropy’s State of Nonprofits 2025 report.  According to the report, almost 90% of nonprofit leaders expressed concern about their own level of burnout (similar to 2024), and almost 90% expressed concern about staff burnout.  41% expressed moderate concern about staff burnout, and 17% expressed high concern about staff burnout.  (Report at 19-20) 

We must learn to see burnout as a call to examine organizational culture. 

We must ask:  Are we fostering a culture of well-being?

And then, we need to acknowledge that burnout is not just an individual problem to be addressed by the people experiencing it most acutely, but a sign of a cultural/organizational problem. 

As a social justice organizational leader, is retention a problem despite having a laudable mission? 

As an employee in an organization with an amazing mission, are you still finding it difficult to keep going? 

Solutions go beyond the HR department and beyond benefits. They require organizational leaders and social justice seekers to consider belonging, engagement, and mission clarity. How we address these three subjects impacts how we move forward. 

WG Advocate PLLC can be your partner in grappling with these questions.

Retreat to Advance: Three Ways to Pause for Your Cause

(Part 2 of 2)

Photo credit: Rachel A. Wilkinson

For today’s social-justice seeker, there are three types of retreats that can deepen our commitment, sharpen our resolve, and sustain our will to fight.

Organizational Retreat. The organizational retreat, done well, can lead us to a refinement of our mission, a clarification of our strategic plan, and a recommitment to supporting our colleagues’ efforts and different roles in accomplishing the mission. This is a tall order. It requires a lot of planning. And it involves a commitment to providing a space for true participation. My federal civil rights work benefited from retreats that led to a sharpening of our focus on the mission and a better understanding of the roles of internal actors, community members, and advocates. 

Team Retreat. Just as a retreat can be useful for an organization, it can also strengthen our teams and improve their cohesion. As a manager on complex civil rights cases, I facilitated a number of team retreats. These brief outings—usually just a few hours—improved team dynamics, allowed members to connect outside of the pressures of particular case demands, and offered a space for reflection.

Personal Retreat. Moments of pause and reflection sustain us as we reflect on our commitment to this demanding work. These personal retreats can be either guided or unguided. As with the organizational and team retreats, we can use the personal retreat to examine our goals and refine our mission.

Of course, WG Advocate can help you plan any or all parts of a retreat. Let us know how we can help. 

Ultimately, the important thing is to remember this: We must pause to strengthen our cause!

Retreat to Advance: The Importance of Pausing  

(Part 1 of 2)

Photo credit: Rachel A. Wilkinson

As social justice warriors battling on many fronts, we sometimes forget the importance of pausing to reflect, refocus, and recharge. Indeed, it may seem unwise in the midst of a great challenge to spend time on anything else. But regular reflection is a vital component of progress. In other words, in order to be present in our fight against injustice, we must at times get away from it.  

Yes, I’m talking about taking a retreat.  

And yes, I know that some of us chafe at the notion. 

For the retreat-averse, the very word “retreat” evokes quitting. But one of our most courageous social-justice seekers, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., embraced the retreat as a necessary component of his activism. And he did so right in the most challenging times in the Civil Rights Movement. Between 1964 and 1967, Dr. King participated in several  retreats at the Penn Center in South Carolina and in Black Mountain, North Carolina — peaceful spots rich in Gullah-Geechee heritage and natural beauty. 

Dr. King’s model should inspire us in our own practice. So, how do we do that? 

There are three necessary elements for a meaningful retreat: a place apart, a time apart, and a clear goal. To engage in a successful retreat, the location needs to be different and provide opportunities for interactions and reflection. Ideally, the space should include a natural environment, like Dr. King’s beloved Penn Center. Real time is also required. 

This is not the same as a lot of time. 

By real time, I mean the participant should be allowed a reprieve from the regular requirements of the day (i.e. no emails or phone calls). As well, it’s important to understand the goal of the retreat. The goal does not need to be ambitious; it just needs to be clear. Figuring out the goal and how to incorporate it into different activities during the retreat requires time and attention. Your cause deserves this pause.

Sources:

“South Carolina: Penn Center,” National Park Service, 24 February 2023, https://www.nps.gov/places/south-carolina-penn-center.htm.

Smith, Anne Chesky, “WNC History: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Trips to Black Mountain, Montreat,” Citizen Times, 14 August 2022, https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2022/08/14/wnc-history-martin-luther-king-jr-trips-black-mountain-montreat/10281114002/.