By Sarah Davies (she/her)
I would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Yugambeh land on which I live, work and write. Sovereignty was never ceded, and I pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
I am writing this piece from personal experience, and am not a medical professional – if your burnout is becoming too much for you to handle, please ensure you seek professional or medical help.
CW: activism burnout, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression
I consider myself an activist. Particularly through working with the One Woman Project, as well as learning from many others (namely Bla(c)k women, and Women and People of Colour – check out the references below), I have found myself more immersed in activism than ever before. I have attended rallies, signed petitions, done my best to educate others on topics I feel appropriate for me to discuss*, had discussions with family members and friends, read books, shared information and tried to incorporate activism into my everyday life. I put my money where my mouth is, and pay the rent, as well as support Aboriginal-owned businesses. As I live and work on Yugambeh country, I try, when possible, to specifically put funds towards local Aboriginal-owned businesses. My focus is on gender equity – this is intersectional, and incorporates a multitude of other issues, including:
Environmental issues
Fast fashion and modern enslaved people
Mental health
Toxic masculinity
Racial equity and dismantling white supremacy (in myself and society)
Sexual health and awareness
Decriminalising sex work
Body neutrality and unpacking/dismantling fatphobia (in myself and society)
Unpacking my own white saviour complex
Examining existing structures in international development and ‘aid’
International law
And a whole heap of others.
Please be aware that none of the above means I deserve praise. I am purely doing what I believe is right, and am in no way exonerated of the fact that I live and work on stolen land, and benefit from this, as well as my whiteness, every day.
*Please note: as a white person, there are topics I, and other white people, should never be trying to lead discussions on – this includes anti-racism work, or deciding what is or isn’t racist. I have never experienced racism, and I cannot ever know what it is truly like to be on the receiving end of it. I am not, therefore, qualified to educate others about it. Instead, if someone asks me a question, I point them in the direction of those who ARE qualified. Please see the reference list below!
I want to be clear, though, that everyone’s activism is different. Just because someone is unable to attend a rally in person, doesn’t mean they are not just as much an activist as someone who goes. Showing up is different for everyone. Nowadays, there are great alternatives for people unable to physically attend, for multiple reasons – donate to organisations, stream rallies online, sign petitions, advocate through online platforms, share educational pieces or posts, and speak up in real life.
Intersectionality defined: by E Wilder via Canva
Regardless of the way you advocate, or what you advocate for, burnout is a real, and common, occurrence. Burnout is a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion, that can occur when your work or activism takes an emotional toll on you. Symptoms can include anxiety, depression, insomnia, compassion fatigue, irritability, a sense of hopelessness or lack of motivation or passion. I believe burnout is intersectional, just as people’s experiences and activism are intersectional. For example, I do not have my existence questioned everyday, purely for being me, because I am white, cis-gendered, in a heterosexual relationship, and able-bodied. I am privileged enough to learn about racism, instead of experiencing it. While I am a woman, I am a white woman, whose first foray into feminism, when I was younger, was based on white, liberal and non-intersectional feminism (I have, thankfully, spent years unlearning these toxic ideas). I have the support of my family and friends, and am privileged enough to be secure in the knowledge that, should my activism ever cost me a job, or put me in financial strife, I would be able to reach out to my family, if I need.
That being said, I also live with manageable depression, and severe anxiety, as well as recently-diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), caused by recurring traumatic experiences. I am beginning to realise, and understand, the fact I have neurodivergent qualities, and work through what this means for me. This can all affect the way I deal with burnout, or how much I can handle before I get burnt out.
If you find you suffer from burnout, either regularly or only occasionally, write down the ways in which your intersectionality may affect this – what are your privileges? What are ways in which you differ from the unfortunate standard that exists of white/straight/cis-gendered/able-bodied/neurotypical? What are things that affect the way you experience burn out? Things like your sexuality, your religious beliefs or lack of, your gender, your upbringing, your mental health, your neurological makeup, your physical ability, power dynamics in your everyday life, your life experiences and your support groups (friends, family, therapy, etc.) can have an affect on this. For example, often we are told that exercise is one of the best ways to relieve stress and anxiety, and alleviate depression. This, however, is not an option for everyone, or may only work for mild cases of these.
For a different perspective on intersectional burnout, please read the incredible piece by Tiana Clark, ‘This is What Black Burnout Looks Like’.
I think understanding, and dealing with, burnout needs to recognise these intersectional traits, the same way contemporary feminism does. You may personally be able to deal with more than I can before burnout occurs – this doesn’t mean my activism and/or burnout isn’t just as valid as yours, and vice versa. Judging yourself when you become burnt out is basically just another tool of internalised capitalism, making you feel guilty when you are ‘unproductive’ (whatever that really means), or need rest. Judging others for this is just as ridiculous. Whether you are just starting out as an activist, or are well-versed, be gentle with yourself and others who are constantly challenging and questioning racist, classist, capitalist, ableist, transphobic and sexist societal norms (among others).
That’s in part because the myth of the tireless activist is so pervasive and so effective. As organisers, we are trained that there’s so much work to do and that we’re the only ones able to do it…We must put our physical bodies on the line and risk our mental health and emotional health – all for the greater cause. Exhaustion is not an option. Eventually, that becomes a really tired and problematic and painful way to live…It’s hard to convince yourself that it’s OK to walk away from the work sometimes, in order to self-preserve.
‘Exhaustion is not an Option: BLM’s Patrice Cullors on Grief and Activism’
Patrice Cullors, co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement, for Vice Magazine.
Artist: Robot Hugs for Everyday Feminism.
Practices that can contribute to burnout
Lack of boundaries: constantly saying ‘yes’ to everything that comes your way is a surefire path to burnout. You are only one person, and there is only so much you can do. Balance your own personal, intersectional needs with what you can actually achieve. I have realised that my anxiety means I constantly question myself and my activism, and try so hard to please everyone around me that I can, sometimes, never put my thoughts or opinions forward. While they are not always needed, in some circumstances this can mean I’ve missed an opportunity to contribute sound ideas to a discussion.
Forgetting about yourself: putting the needs of others ahead of yours may be second nature to you, but you also need time to reset, hydrate, and be in the moment. Every morning when you wake up, do a wellness check – how are you feeling that day? What feels like too much? Doing the same thing before you go to sleep can also help release some of that tension that can easily grab hold of, and overwhelm, you. Creative outlets can help with this – I, as a writer, write through my feelings (hence this article), and use small doodles, cartoons and images to help convey my emotions or what I am trying to understand. Do whatever feels best for you, with a medium or platform that works for you.
Not acknowledging your limits/gaps: there are going to be things you will never have a first-hand experience with. Stop trying to understand these situations from a first-hand basis (you never will, and it’s exhausting), and simply listen to the people who do experience these things (this doesn’t mean ask every single person about their experience, with no regard for their emotional labour – there are plenty of resources that already exist, that a simple, and free, Google search will help you with).
Feeling guilt or responsibility: For me, feeling white guilt doesn’t actually help anyone – sitting at home and feeling an overwhelming responsibility to personally fix every wrong that white people have ever committed is not only physically impossible, but doesn’t change anything. It may be hard, but let go of the guilt and responsibility that can come with activism, and use that guilty, gross feeling in your stomach to affect the change that you can (thank you, Maggie Munn (@blak.tivist), for this way of using your white guilt to take action).
There are no doubt many more, but these few are ones I have experienced myself. The following are ways in which I try to balance these out. Please keep in mind that I am privileged in multiple ways, and some or all of these may not apply to you personally. All the following practices also relate to the way I experience anxiety, and handle my PTSD, which is a huge factor in my activist burnout.
Practices to avoid burnout
Grounding exercises: I live in a constantly heightened state – this means I regularly need to ground myself, in order not to become fatigued or burnt out. Nature, for me, is a great way to wipe my burnout and anxiety ‘clean’, and reset. The beach, rainforests, farmland or the snow calm me in a way that not a lot can. If you don’t live near a lot of nature, simply stepping out onto the grass or dirt outside can be a great grounding exercise. I also use sensory input to calm or ground myself – things like rolling a cold, heavy, smooth crystal or rock in my hand, or using items like weighted blankets, or grounding and calming scents. Proprioceptive processing can also help. Doing these things before sleeping, or when I am feeling particularly overwhelmed, assists me in having longevity in my activism. Write down some of the ways you heal from burnout, and keep them handy – you never know when you may need a quick pick-me-up.
Setting time aside for yourself: As I said above, journaling is a way for me to release my pent-up frustration, anxiety, stress, anger and hopelessness. As well as this, regular wellness check-ins with myself help to remind, or spotlight, what I need at that moment – is it a hug? More information on a topic I feel unsure about? Time away from my screens? An orgasm? A walk? Some breathing exercises? A chat with my friends or support? A therapist appointment? Putting your needs first as an activist is not selfish – it is necessary. You cannot create or be a part of change if you are a burnt out, exhausted, confused ball of emotions.
Deleting or blocking people: one of the most important things to recognise as an activist is that you will never change the mind of somebody who doesn’t want you to (thank you @jevalkyrie for this lesson). Some people are open to learning, and admitting they don’t know a lot about certain subjects. Others will never admit this, and to be honest, it is too exhausting to constantly try and change their mind. When I say delete and block, I mean in real life as well, not just online. If you are surrounded by people who delegitimise you, devalue your emotional labour or (a favourite of online trolls) ‘just want to play devil’s advocate’…you probably need new people. I have family members who I have experienced this with, and I used to get my back up and have an argument that never went anywhere, because these people don’t actually want to listen. They want to fight, or mock you. I just don’t engage now, even though sometimes it is really hard to not tell someone how narrow-minded they are being, or where they can put their basic opinions.
Accepting your limits: when I was younger, I had a habit of getting on my high horse, and thinking I knew everything about feminism. Obviously, I didn’t, and this only exhausted me, because I was constantly trying to be ‘right’ as opposed to listening to what others were saying, and accepting that I didn’t, nor would I ever, know everything about feminism, because I do not know everyone’s stories, or their experiences. Setting unrealistic expectations, such as these, have been shown to contribute hugely to activist burnout. Accepting your limits, and continuing to learn from others about what you will never personally experience, is a massive part of having longevity in your activism.
The above suggestions are what work for me. If you have ideas and practices that work for you, please share them with us on the Facebook and Instagram pages! We love to hear your perspectives and suggestions. This is my single white, cis-gendered, able-bodied experience, and my intention is to get the conversation started on what burnout and activism looks like for different people – if you would like to contribute, or have a conversation, please email me at s.davies@onewomanproject.org!
Whatever form your activism and burnout can take, please know it is valid – and remember to also keep advocating for yourself, and your mental health to avoid burnout!
Most importantly, continue to look after yourself, and each other.
Artist: Robot Hugs for Everyday Feminism.
For more on activism burnout, please check out:
Solis, Marie, 2018, When Dismantling Power Dismantles You Instead, Vice Magazine.
Stewart, Emily and P.R Lockhart, 2017, Erica Garner, Pulled to Activism After Her Father’s Death, Dies at 27, Vox Media.
Price, Devon, 2020, How To End The Activist Burnout Cycle, Medium.
Those to follow, learn from and pay:
NOT an exhaustive list – please keep researching and expanding your perspective!
Please be aware: Some of these pages are private, and may not accept all requests. Some are open activist pages, and others are rightfully conscious of their own emotional labour and the toll this takes on them, as creators and educators.