Combatting Nonprofit Burnout: Managing Tech and Email Overload

May 25, 2017Beth Kanter

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Presenters

Beth KanterMaster Trainer, Speaker, Author

Susan Hope BardTechSoup, Training and

Education Manager

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The Need Is Global – And So Are We

• TechSoup’s mission is to build a dynamic bridge that enables civil society organizations and social change agents around the world to gain effective access to the resources they need to design and

implement solutions for a more equitable planet.

Countries Served TechSoup Partner Location NetSquared Local Group

Where are you on the map?

Combatting Nonprofit Burnout: Technology Wellness in the Nonprofit Workplace

Beth Kanter, Master Trainer, Speaker, Author

@kanterwww.bethkanter.org

Beth Kanter: Master Trainer, Speaker, Author and Nonprofit Thought Leader

• Nonprofit Professionals: Nonprofits• Understanding Connection between Tech and

Burnout• Personal Technology Wellness Tips

• Nonprofit Workplace: Organizations• Bringing Technology Wellness into the

Nonprofit Workplace

What I’m going to talk about …..

Happy Healthy Nonprofit Book

http://bit.ly/happyhealthynpbook

We-Care

Self-Care

Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion that occurs when we feel overwhelmed by too many demands, too few resources, and too little recovery time.

Technology Use Can Be A BigCause Stress and Burnout

Information Overload

Personal Technology Wellness Assessment1. Is the only time you take a break from your tech when you’re sleeping?2. Do you check your phone before you go to bed or right when you wake up?3. Do you have problems recalling information and resort to searching on Google?4. Do you feel that you often have a hard time paying attention or focusing on a

single task?5. Do you experience frustration at the amount of online information you need to

process every day?6. Do you frequently or constantly check your email, Twitter, Facebook or other

online services?7. Do you sometimes check your mobile phone for messages while in the

bathroom?8. Do you find yourself reaching for your phone even when you’re with others?9. Do you sit at your computer at work or home for longer than 30 minutes at a

time without getting up to take a break?10.Do you ever check your mobile phone while walking outside?

Add up all the questions you answered “YES” to for your score

0…1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9…10Source: Lulumonathletica

Healthy……………………………………………………Unhealthy

What’s Your Technology Wellness Score?

Our technology use is changing our brains

We have no downtime52% of smartphone owners check their phonesa few times an hour or more.

Behavior Addiction

What is the average human attention span

online?

Attention Spans Online …

Source: National Center for Biotechnology Information, US National Library of MedicineFlickr photo: Josullivan59

Attention Span Statistics Data

The average human attention span in 2000. 12 seconds

The average human attention span in 2013. 8 seconds

9 seconds

Technology Wellness Tips for Nonprofit Professionals

Not Saying To Stop Using Technology

Be Intentional

Tip: Protect Your Sleep

Pro Tip: Use An Alarm Clock

Beverly Trayner-Wenger

List of Standing Desk Resourceshttp://bethkanter.wikispaces.com/walk

Tip: Stand Up At Work

Tip: Walk More

Tip: Organize Mobile Phone To Avoid Addiction

• Notifications from people• Customized notifications• Tools on home screen• Scramble Apps• Remove or move work apps into folders on 3rd or 4th screens

during non-work hours

Tip: Unplug regularly & often

TIP: Schedule Quiet Time

• What is one personal technology wellness habit you can start doing now?

Mindful Moment

Technology Wellness in the Nonprofit Workplace

Walking At Work

• Pick the best type of meetings for walking meetings• Walk inside • Plan your route• Notetaking• Wear comfortable shoes, bring water

Tip: Walking Meetings

United Way in South Dakota: Movement Breaks

• Twice daily all staff walk or movement

• Started with listening and engaging with employees

• Wellness coaching and experiment 10 years ago

• Now part of culture

Walking for Team Building

Wednesday Afternoon Weekly Walk-After lunch for 20 minutes to energize and build community

Building A Movement Inside Your Organization

Creating An Organization That Values Focus Time/Space

Collaborative Tech Overload: Connectivity Driven

● 15% of organization time is spent in meetings

● Four hours a week for status update meetings

● 11 million meetings a day

● More than $37 billion year in unproductive meetings

Source: NY Times, “Meeting is Murder”2/28/16Fuze Infographic on Meetings

Is this familiar?

• Long work week• Come home to realize

you didn’t get stuff done

• You start doing solo work in evenings and weekends

• You don’t do it because you are too exhausted

Solution: The Four P’s

Planning People

Priorities Present

Planning: Structure and RitualsAssessment

1. Our team has a clear sense of what’s ahead each month2. We stick to deadlines and commitments and rarely let things fall through the

cracks3. My team or organization has a clear policy about sending after hours emails4. My team uses cloud software for collaboration and has a well mapped out

workflow and training for all users0-8

What’s your score? 0=No, 1=Sometimes 2=YesAdd it up your answers

Tips to Improve Planning

● Use Look-Ahead Rituals● Make Solo Focus Time Part of Your Team Culture

Tips to Improve Planning

● Clearly Define Workflow for Online Collaboration Platforms and Training

● Adopt Formal Practices Around Team Emails

People: How You Relate To OthersAssessment

1. I am comfortable saying no, negotiating requests, and making requests of others.2. I stay away from gossip, office politics, and drama3. Our team communicates precisely via email and online collaboration tools4. Our team has an effective approach to integrating remote and on-site staff for

meetings and collaboration

What’s your score? 0=No, 1=Sometimes 2=YesAdd it up your answers

0-8

Tips to Improve

● Set a Statute of Limitations on People Frustrations● Say NO, But Enforce Boundaries With Grace

Tips to Improve People

● Write emails that are precise● Create a remote working charter for your team

Subjects w/Keywords [ACTION] [SIGN][DECISION] [CORD][INFO]Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF)Fewer WordsLink to Attachments

Priorities: How You Spend Your Time

1. We spend time working on key priorities and goals that move the needle for our organization, our team, or my own performance and growth.

2. I complete tasks even when I don’t want to do them.3. My organization or team has clear rationales for how we use our time4. I understand and accept the trade-offs that I make when choosing how to spend my

time.

What’s your score? 0=No, 1=Sometimes 2=YesAdd it up your answers

0-8

Tips to Improve

● Do A Trend-Line View Reflection with Your Team● Rethink Status Updates Meetings

Tips to Improve

● Don’t schedule hour meetings by default

Being Present: How You Focus and Pay Attention

1. Our team schedules work according energy levels2. Our team is focused and engaged in meetings and not multi-tasking3. We have distraction free environment and time needed to complete the things that

require focus or strategic thinking.4. When I have free time, I know how to use it productively or restoratively.

What’s your score? 0=No, 1=Sometimes 2=YesAdd it up your answers

0-8

Tips to Improve

● Team wide analysis of most productive times during day● Have explicit team or organization policy about white space or

maker time

Tips to Improve

● Device free zones in your workplace● Meeting policy about use of devices to avoid “technoference”

Summary

Our personal and organizational use of technology can create stress leading to burnout. But if we are intentional about how we use our devices, we can be more productive, healthier, and happier.

Thank you!

www.bethkanter.org

The Happy Healthy Nonprofithttp://bit.ly/happyhealthynpbook

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