I recently had an enlightening conversation with two smart, ambitious high school graduates. They were ready to take on the world. Both had a positive attitude towards planning and fulfilling future goals. One of the things we discussed was the transition from high school to college. When I asked the about their pre-college summer plans, the graduates’ response was they were going to have a “chill summer”.
I was intrigued by their ability to have such a relaxed attitude about the transition from high school to college. When they told me about how they planned to have down time, relax and just enjoy the summer, it dawned on me: this is something that many of us do not do well. We don’t plan down time in the transitions from season to season in our lives. We do not take time to “just chill”.
It got me thinking about the seasons of fundraising.
How do we connect to our donors during down time? How do we keep volunteers engaged during down time? How do we fill our own buckets?
While giving is a year-round activity, is there a down time in your year? During the summer months we can focus on stewardship with our donors. How can you connect your donors’ stories to your mission?
When we are not actively fundraising, do we forget about our volunteers who help make our work possible? Your volunteers need to feel valued.
Are you filling your own bucket, so you are prepared to transition into the next phase of fundraising? Emotional and mental health is very important. When our buckets are “full” we feel secure, confident and better able to help others.
We can all benefit from a “chill summer”. In fundraising, just as in all facets of our life we need to take time to regroup, recharge and renew. It is very important to make sure we are taking care of ourselves, our volunteers, staff and our donors. I have shared my plans to “chill” this summer. I would like to hear how this blog has inspired you. Please post to share what you will be doing this summer to “just chill.”