How to Avoid Activist Burnout (Without Sacrificing Work!)

I want to start with something you probably need to hear right now: burnout is not a moral failure. You are not a failure. It’s often a signal that the boundaries between service and self have been lost. And in activism, where the urgency of justice, grief, and change looms large, many of us quietly carry this tension for a long time.

I know this from my own experiences. In 2022, I felt like a ghost haunting my own life - a zombie going through the motions, doing work, dissociating, not sleeping enough, and then doing it all over again. I’d lost joy, ease, and any sense of myself outside of changework. What built my burnout was intense pressure, consistent over‑giving, guilt, burying creativity, ignoring rest, not nourishing my body, and losing connection to what fills my cup.

This guide draws both from what’s been proven to help (top articles and research) and from my own lived experience as a busy changeworker - what saved me, what still does, what I wish I’d known to prevent the burnout in the first place.

If you’re here, you might already sense something is off. Your story doesn’t have to hit a roadblock or take a detour like mine. You got this!

What is Activist Burnout, Early Symptoms, & Why It Creeps In

Burnout in activism doesn’t usually happen in a single dramatic moment. It accumulates over time as the endpoint of chronic stress. Early symptoms of burnout include emotional exhaustion and frequent compartmentalization, increasing irritability, feelings of inefficacy, numbness, cynicism, feeling empty, and inability to stay hopeful.

Laurence Cox’s paper How Do We Keep Going? Activist Burnout and Personal Sustainability frames burnout as deeply connected to Western culture: high pressure, high expectations, self-repression, lack of rest, diminished rewards, and individualism. Research shows that activists are especially prone to burnout due to delayed rewards and lack of achievement that inherently exists in activism, leading to self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and feelings of low self-worth.

When you are constantly aware of the systemic realities you’re working to change while having to maintain a level of optimism, hope, and idealism, activists’ nervous systems tend to get way too overstimulated over time. Operating in activist spaces is a lot, I know.

Here are some common causes to be aware of:

• Carrying more than you have capacity for (i.e. taking on emotional, mental, relational, or professional weight that consistently pushes you outside of your limits).

• Neglecting self‑care basics like sleep, nutrition, movement, social connection, and rest.

• Lack of boundaries (i.e. saying yes to everything, being too flexible, letting others dictate what you must do).

• Not taking regular breaks that actually turn off the mind (i.e. breaks where you’re not on your phone or watching TV).

• Isolation (i.e. when you have neither peer support nor safe social spaces).

• Systemic pressures, meaning living with the fact that injustice doesn’t pause (i.e. urgency is baked in; crises, grief, overwhelm are constants).

• Lack of results or seeing progress from your activism (sometimes caused by unrealistic expectations from not fully understanding how long it typically takes for social and environmental movements to make progress).

Burnout is dangerous not just to you, but to the causes you believe in. It can cause disillusionment, withdrawal, and retraction from long‑term work. It’s worth repeating: if you don’t pour into your own cup first, you can’t pour into others.

That’s why I started the well. To help passionate people like you and me lean into their joy, without sacrificing their changework. So if you’re looking for an easy first step, check out one of my most favorite workshops ever: Get Grounded.

What the Experts Tell Us: Prevention & Recovery Strategies

Thankfully, because modern activism has been around for decades now, there are known and scientifically proven ways to prevent and, if prevention fails, recover from burnout. Many feel familiar in theory, but often tricky in practice - especially when carrying a deep sense of responsibility and urgency.

The very first step in preventing burnout is awareness. Awareness of your daily habits, mind-body connection, nervous system triggers, systemic oppressors, and feelings of self-belief and hopefulness.

Here are what movement scholars commonly recommend:

• Recognize Early Warning Signs

Abnormal fatigue, sleep disruption (more frequent nightmares, for example), cynicism, feeling powerless, withdrawing, and hopelessness. What’s important is looking out for signs that are abnormal for you. Are you a naturally cynical person or is that a newer thing for you? Don’t wait until you can see the signs clearly; getting ahead of burnout is key! It’s never too late to start self-care.

• Rest & Downtime

Taking regular breaks that actually feel restful, longer vacations (or going on vacation in the first place if you haven’t in a long time), quality time with good friends or loved ones, art-based healing, puppy therapy, etc. Turning off activism sometimes feels hard, but studies emphasize that rest is non‑negotiable.

• Physical Health Basics

Getting 8 to 10 hours of sleep every night, eating nutritious food (heavy on the protein and fiber), and staying adequately hydrated. Even daily movement such as walking helps buffer stress.

Also, in these modern times, staying off your phone until at least 1 hour after you wake up in the morning and at least 1 hour before you go to the bed at night. For more health information, check out Stanford Professor Andrew Huberman’s podcast.

• Boundaries

Setting them for social media, for tasks, and for emotional labor. Saying “no”, or “not now”. Studies show that a lack of boundaries is a main driver of burnout.

While this can feel impossible, especially if you work on a team and have a demanding work culture, I recommend clarifying your workload to those asking more of you and expressing why you feel you can’t take on anymore. When people actually fully understand why someone says or does something, they’re more understanding in general and therefore more flexible and aware of your thought processes.

• Community & Relational Support

Don’t be afraid to lean on or be vulnerable with trusted peers, mentors, and safe spaces to share grief, doubt, and other difficult feelings. You are not meant to carry everything alone. No one is.

If you feel like there’s no existing spaces or relationships to do this in, then try to be curious and explore different communities and spaces online or locally. Trust me, if you dig enough, there are amazing community spaces willing and wanting to support you!

• Purpose Clarity & Focus

Choosing what work feels essential now, what you can carry, and not scattering effort everywhere. When you try to tackle a million and one causes at the same time, not only do you suffer from not seeing results, but also the causes don’t get the backing that they truly need.

• Expressive & Restorative Practices

Art, journaling, therapy, dance, and movement are all highly beneficial for strengthening and healing the mind-body connection through grounding and practicing being present. Studies show creative expression helps process grief and reconnect with self.

These are all solid and great places to start. Which ones feel like they’re most lacking in your life? Which ones, when you think about them, generate the most excitement in your body?

What many burnout recommendations miss or underemphasize is how to weave them into identity, practice, and structure. That’s where inner work really comes into play.

What I Learned the Hard Way

Here’s what I discovered in my journey - what helped me avoid deeper collapse, and what continues to guard my well:

1. Creativity isn’t “extra.” It’s essential.

As a child, I was constantly creating - dance, photography, writing, and more. So when I boxed those away believing only “useful” and “serious” work mattered, I lost an anchor. When I returned to art therapy, writing poems, painting, and movement therapy, my soul loudly said “thank you”. These were not frivolous; they were regenerative.

2. Sacrifice as default is dangerous.

I carried guilt for being privileged, feeling I owed more or I didn’t deserve what I had. I neglected my needs. I put myself last. Eventually, that undermined everything. I had to learn I could only contribute sustainably if I tended to my own living parts first and foremost.

3. Clarity of calling and focus are lifelines.

I created things like the well to clarify what is mine to do now. I had to remember that we all have a role to play, and that none of us carry the weight of the world on our shoulders alone (although it may feel like that sometimes). I realised that whilst I may care about many things and contribute to a number of different topics, it is essential to have a clear understanding of what is mine to do for now, and put most of my energy towards that. In a sense, having a clear sense of purpose is not just essential to not feel defeated and hopeless, but also to maintain our sanity amidst the current collapse.

4. Guardrails and rhythm matter.

Mini‑breaks, as in weekly rest and at least long weekends every quarter booked in advance, are essential. I also now have buffer moments so that when work intensifies I have a reserve. Without structure, burnout sneaks in via creeping overwork.

5. Good people around you are not optional.

We’re social creatures. Supportive relationships, people who see you, who reflect care, and who mirror back your value make a world of difference. I had to learn to remove or hold boundaries with people who drained me, even if I once thought “I must tolerate this”.

6. Joy, ease, and laughter are also not optional.

Activism culture often valorizes struggle. But joy, play, creativity, and rest are necessary spiritual and emotional nourishment. When I reclaimed dance, art, and play, I regained connection to my vitality. Those are not distractions - they’re a form of resistance.

7. Doing the inner work.

I had internal messages like “it’s only useful if urgency is constant”, or “complaints are weakness”. or “art is nonessential.” These beliefs shaped my behavior and led to my burnout in 2022. Undoing them (slowly) required therapy, reflection, self-expression, creative movement, and meaningful connection.

8. Get out into nature.

Nature is medicine. Numerous studies have shown how effective getting outside can be against anxiety, depression, hopelessness, stress, and other negative human experiences. Looking back on how I could’ve prevented my own burnout, I know getting out into nature more often would’ve made a big difference.

Practical Tools

Here are concrete practices I use regularly, and which research supports, to sustain activism without burning out:

• Daily Check-Ins

First thing in the morning or at the end of the day, note how your body feels, where tension is, and what needs feel unmet. A journal entry or even voice‑memoing helps.

• Create an “Activist Work Schedule”

Dedicate certain hours/days for activism and other times for rest, creative expression, or other personal life things. Stick to it as best you can (leave some grace for yourself, especially when you’re just getting started).

• Tiny Creative Rituals

Engage in a 10‑minute sketch, poem, dance, song, or collage each week, not for any audience, but for your voice and self-expression.

• Nature & Movement

Walk in nature, forest bathe, dance outdoors, or engage in sports like kayaking. My body always remembers what the soul forgets unless I move it. Exposure to light, fresh air, and green trees helps reset and refocus.

• Unplug & Limit Triggers

Set times throughout your day and week to disconnect from news, social media, campaign updates, Slack notifications, and notifications. Create “digital rest” periods where you can totally turn off your brain.

• Develop Discernment Around What to Take In

Not everything is ours to fight. Selectively choose your battles. Say “this is my fight, this is not”. Recognize what moves your heart versus what drains it and direct your attention to that which gives you life.

• Build Supportive Community Spaces

Peer support groups, workshops, and sharing circles are usually great safe containers to speak truth, to vent, and to rest. Some will be better for you than others so be sure to continue going only to the ones that leave you feeling better than before.

• Set Boundaries Around Giving (Emotionally & Temporally)

Recognize when caring becomes over‑identification and over-giving. Learn to give without overspending oneself. Speaking from experience, this takes a lot of trial and error. You won’t always get it right, and that’s ok. It’s a learning experience to discover your personal limits and capacity.

• Nourish Self‑Esteem & Self‑Respect

Practice saying yes to your needs, honoring what feels good, and letting go of shame (and guilt!) when rest is needed.

• Plan Breaks in Advance

Block out a retreat or restorative weekend every few months. Schedule in longer rest when possible, so that rest isn’t reactive but proactive. Plan something 3 to 6 months out, so that you have something exciting to look forward to!

Back in early 2023, I was 6 months out of the burnout clinic. I was still recovering, but I also had a fire in me for change. I knew things had to change in my own life, and that I had a lot of inner work and ‘cleaning house’ to do. But I also knew I wasn’t alone in this. When I shared openly about my burnout and chronic depression, I heard from so many friends and fellow changeworkers about how they had gone through it too, or were currently in the midst of it. I saw so many changeworkers around me struggling with the same things.

And having just rediscovered the power of art-based practices, I felt deeply called to do something about it using this art-based lens and that was the spark for the well. Even though it could be seen as unhinged to launch a new initiative while you’re still recovering from burnout, I couldn’t ignore the call in my heart!

Moving Forward: System‑Wide Change

While individual strategies are essential, many of the pressures causing activist burnout are structural and cultural. Of course, making grand sweeping changes overnight doesn’t work. So, while I believe the following should be implemented ASAP, it’s important to start small and work up to the ideal way of doing things.

Here are things I believe need to shift in activist communities, institutions, funding groups, and other spaces that activists often find themselves in:

• Activist culture should value rest, allowing people to comfortably share when they’re too tired, too stressed, or grieving, and should not reward overwork, martyrdom, or self-sacrifice.
  

• Often certain people (often marginalized folks) carry more emotional labour than others. We need fairer division of care work, peer support, and shared leadership. In other words, emotional and leadership responsibilities should be equitably distributed.
  

• Grants, foundations, and donors should recognize the immense emotional load that activists inherently carry 24/7, and should encourage rest periods, fund creativity, and support compensation for self‑care practices. If they truly want sustainable long-term growth and successful projects, then they should understand that an activist’s or leader’s regular rest and self-expression are crucial for their long-term health.
  

• Talk therapy, art therapy, movement therapy, and somatic bodywork should be affordable and more available even to those doing unpaid or low‑paid activism. We need to bridge the disconnect between activists and these sliding scale or pay-what-you-can resources.
  

• We need stories, art, and media that show how activism can be tender, sustainable, aligned with joy, supportive, and worthwhile. Cultural narratives and expectations need to start shifting away from “always urgent” and “always sacrifice”.
  

• Mentorship programs like Changework Compass that integrate inner development with outer action are essential. We’re not meant to walk this path alone! Speaking from personal experience, you’re more likely to avoid activist burnout if you have a strong support network and caring peers.

If you’re really struggling, I’ve been there too. It doesn’t matter how many self-help books I read, how many hours I spent in therapy, or how many journal pages I filled. I can have a crystal clear insight around what I need to function and to be my best self, and still it’ll happen time and time again that I totally veer off track. Life gets busy, there’s an emergency, genocides are unfolding, you get sick… so many things can happen and either pile up, or get thrown at you all at once. 

I used to feel ashamed when I realised I had stopped my self-care practice once again. When I hadn’t written a word in months, or danced in weeks. I used to blame myself, and see it as a failure or a lack of discipline. 

I have since learned that these challenging phases are just part of the cycle. And feeling bad or disappointed in myself certainly does not help to get back on track. Because as I once heard, “you can’t hate yourself into self-love”. So instead, I personally have built in what I call ‘buffers’ or ‘safeguards’. For example, I know that I need a break of at least a long weekend every quarter, meaning every 3 months or so, and I need to block those dates in advance.

If I work for 4+ months straight, I’ll suddenly realise I put my head in the sand and have to dig myself out again. I certainly wouldn’t be able to go ‘oh maybe I should organise a holiday for myself’. No. I need to plan these breaks ahead of time, in advance, and block the dates in the calendar. I’ve run into this issue too many times to continue the pattern, and learned that such a structure is supportive for me and my mental health.

But I’m not a robot and neither are you. Sometimes the day-to-day feels overwhelming and I need mini-breaks. When looking forward to a long weekend just isn’t cutting it.

The well’s workshops are this mini-break for me (and other changeworkers). A tiny holiday for the soul, if you will. An opportunity to pause, and go inwards. Even though I sometimes struggle to get started, I always leave the space with more energy and clarity. Without fail. Every time.

That said, these workshops can do wonders for you too. They go way beyond just watching a meditative YouTube video or going to a yoga class.