How To Avoid Burnout for Sustainable Advocacy
The 2020 style challenge may be over, but the need for anti-trafficking work isn’t. Dressember works to fight human trafficking all year round. This is done by raising awareness around human trafficking on our blog, providing resources to victims and survivors and providing an opportunity to join the Dressember Collective as a monthly supporter.
Though the need is great, it is also important to rest. If you’re going to commit to advocacy for the long haul, it’s important to avoid burnout. You can use the style challenge as a launching pad for sustainable advocacy with some intentionality and dedication.
We recently shared habits for authentic advocacy on social media, which include taking ownership of your learning process, listening to diverse voices, looking for intersectional issues and determining your consumer values. However, it is important to make these habits sustainable so you can practice them throughout the year. This can help you avoid burnout, which is a state of mental, emotional or physical exhaustion caused by long periods of stress. Human trafficking is a heavy topic, and it’s important to learn when to take breaks so your mental health doesn’t suffer. It is perfectly normal to experience advocacy burnout, so try the following tips to avoid it.
Keep Balance
The best way to keep up the energy in your advocacy work is by having balance. Prioritize maintaining a healthy amount of relaxation to accompany your activism work. You will soon get tired and stressed if you are not getting enough time to unwind. Give yourself space to work on what gives you life. This can include practicing yoga, painting, going for a run or taking the time to meditate. It can help you prioritize rest and strengthen your resolve against human trafficking. Don’t underestimate the power of self-care in advocacy work! Rest is an essential part of resistance and activism.
Find Support
Take the time to talk to someone about your advocacy. It can help you process any feelings, pain points or stress that you’ve been internalizing. You can also do this by taking the time at night to journal your activist journey. No matter what you end up doing, make sure it helps you find a sense of ease. Feeling like the world is on your shoulders can be crippling, so it would be beneficial to seek people who keep you inspired and grounded. Remember that you’re not in this alone—there are plenty of other advocates out there to connect with! Joining one of our Facebook groups is a good way to get to know the Dressember community better.
Step Away for a Period of Time
If you ever sense yourself getting burnt out, step away for some time. It may feel like you are turning your back on the cause, but it’s more impactful to rest and return better than ever than to run yourself into the ground. This doesn’t have to be a long break if you don’t want it to be—it can be as short as a day or even a week! This will allow you to regroup, get a fresh perspective on human trafficking and mentally process the style challenge. You can use it as a learning experience during which you can determine how much time you can realistically invest in your advocacy work. It can also bring you clarity on what is healthy for you and your lifestyle.
Consider informing your friends that you need to step away for self-reflection and provide a return date if you have one. If you are working alone, consider setting a reminder in your calendar the day you think it is best to return. This way, you are held accountable for returning when you feel rejuvenated and ready to continue your advocacy work. You can still stay informed during this time by dedicating your attention to a few reputable sources like Polaris and the Dressember blog. It will help you be accountable during moments of rest.
Set Intentions
Regularly ask yourself why you are doing what you are doing. Reminding yourself of the significance of advocacy work will keep you inspired and motivated. You can make this a priority by setting some time to watch films or read books related to human trafficking and the many intersectional issues surrounding it. All the while, you can take some time to reflect on your feelings and thoughts around the cause.
It can be really easy to lose the essence of your work in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Take a couple of moments in the morning to remember what you care about and think about any impactful stories that touched you. Through the consistent practices of self-reflection and intention-setting, you can maintain enthusiasm for advocacy, even when things get hard. Not taking the time to think through your thoughts and emotions can make the work just work.
Take it Slowly
Consider taking some time to slow down. This may feel impossible to do when you look at the enormity of an issue like human trafficking. However, expecting progress instantly will also make it harder to see the value in your intentional and daily actions. Mindfulness can help you see that your ordinary, everyday actions can turn into a domino effect of global change.
Because of our community of passionate everyday advocates, Dressember has been able to raise more than $12.5 million since 2013 to end human trafficking. We were only able to do this because of your unique strengths and creativity. You never know what will come from thoughtful, consistent action, so take time to see how you can apply yourself in the fight for social justice. Every single person can make a world of difference!
About the Author
Elle Magaña Mireles is a Latinx sustainable fashion advocate based in Chicago, IL. She believes clothing can be a gateway to creating a more just and humane world by bringing about global, positive change. In her free time, she writes for her sustainable fashion blog called Just Irenic, spends quality time in nature, and takes courses on social justice.