If you’ve been working in the same nonprofit job for years, it can be difficult to keep the fire alive. After a particularly bad or hectic day, it can seem impossible to stay resilient with all the challenges brought on by the economic downturn. Many of you are doing the work of two positions, causing your workload to increase. All the while, you may be asking yourself, “why am I doing this again?” Even though you may not be feeling the love right now, here are a few ways to get it back.

Volunteer
Get close to the day to day mission of your organization by volunteering for your nonprofit. Presumably, it’s the cause that caught your eye in the first place. Sign up to be a tutor for a day with the kids you serve  or feed the homeless one evening after work. If it seems like extra work, it is. But being face to face with the people who benefit from your nonprofit’s mission can be incredibly refreshing, and make you look forward to Monday instead of dreading it.

Visit a Program
What does your organization actually do for your clients? Have you ever seen it in action? Take a few hours to go visit one of your nonprofit’s programs. Sit in on a financial literacy class, watch as your counselors help the unemployed craft resumes, or attend a play your arts organization is performing. The idea is to see for yourself the impact that your efforts have on others. It will make you appreciate why you do your work every day, no matter how tough it gets.

Write a Passionate Letter
Sit down and craft a handwritten letter to one of your donors to personally thank them for supporting your organization. Even if this is the development department’s job, you can never send too many thank you letters. Tell the donor what kind of impact their gift made and how much you love working with the kids/homeless/seniors, etc.

Make a Phone Call
Many of you are aware of the different kinds of legislation affecting your clients or your cause. It can be a powerful feeling to be an advocate for your cause by speaking out as a concerned citizen. When a bill is passed that helps you in your work, go ahead and call your local government official or congressional representative to thank them for supporting your cause. Their contact information is published right there on the internet, and every phone call helps them to know just how important the issue is to their constitutents.

Redesign Your Day
Maybe you’re just tired of coming into the office at 8am. If your schedule is set for you to work too early or too late, have a talk with your boss to ask if you can change it. I used to work a typical 9am to 5pm, but I worked better later in the day, so I simply told my boss I wanted to start coming in from 10am-6pm. It gave me more time to sleep in the morning, and didn’t harm the organization one bit. And I was a happier employee for it.

I know, you might be thinking, “who has time for all this?,” especially if you’re too busy putting fires out all day. But trust me, if you make time now, it will save you from burnout later. There’s no need for you to give up on your nonprofit career so soon. It’s never too late to fall back in love with your work!