Here's how you can establish boundaries for a healthy work-life separation as a fundraiser.

- Prioritize Tasks. Manage your time effectively by prioritizing tasks based on urgency and importance. Use calendars and to-do lists to stay organized and focus on high-impact activities. Delegate or postpone lower-priority tasks to make space for personal time. - Embrace 'No'. Learn to say 'no' to avoid overcommitting. Recognize your limits and prioritize your well-being to prevent burnout and maintain productivity. - Plan and Reflect. Regularly plan and reflect on your goals to stay on track. Outline key objectives at the start of the week and review progress at the end. Adjust priorities and celebrate achievements to maintain a healthy balance.

- Schedule Breaks: Incorporate regular breaks into your workday to recharge and maintain productivity. - Limit Overtime: Avoid working beyond your set hours to ensure ample personal time. - Use Alarms: Set alarms as reminders to start and end your workday. - Create a Routine: Develop a consistent routine for starting and ending your workday to reinforce the boundary.

La importancia que tiene establecer y respetar las horas de trabajo en el proceso de captación de fondos - y otras actividades laborales - es vital. Buscar y revisar convocatorias, analizar las posibilidades institucionales y pensar en las opciones de proyecto, conlleva una fatiga mental y puede llegar a entorpecer nuestras buenas ideas. Recuerden bien, sus resultados dependen más de la eficiencia y el aprovechamiento de las horas laborales que de quedarse más tiempo en el trabajo ;)

- Ergonomic Setup: Ensure your workspace is ergonomically designed to promote comfort and reduce strain. - Personalize the Space: Add personal touches like photos or plants to make the space inviting yet professional. - Good Lighting: Ensure the area is well-lit to reduce eye strain and enhance productivity. - Minimize Noise: Use noise-canceling headphones or soundproofing to minimize distractions. - Essential Supplies: Keep all necessary supplies and equipment within reach to avoid unnecessary interruptions.

Manage people's expectations. I will tell someone if their work isn't right for that funder (in a kind way!) and save them and me a lot of heartache. Their bad planning is not your emergency- it's always tempting to go the extra mile and turn a bid round in the time people ask for but your health and wellbeing is important. Funding deadlines are always last minute and so are people! If you get into the habit of saying yes you get stuck in a cycle of people pleasing and exhaustion. Saying no is like a muscle- keep exercising it!

Utilizar el board de prioridades hará la vida laboral más fácil. No aceptarás reuniones/charlas que no sean un win-win ni caras en la tentación de provocarlas. Desde mi experiencia, valorar mi tiempo y el de mis colegas fortalece las relaciones dentro y fuera de la organización y nos visualiza como personas profesionales y respetuosas de las labores de las y los demás.

En mi experiencia, las pausas activas funcionan excelente como ritual de autocuidado. Ahora que estamos tan inmersos en el mundo digital, detenemos a realizar actividades físicas que conecten nuestro cuerpo y nuestra mente ayuda bastante a tener jornadas de trabajo con una reducción significativa de estrés. Recuerdo que en la última empresa en la que trabaje, a media jornada había sesiones virtuales de 15/30 minutos de yoga, meditación, estiramientos y otras actividades que reducian sustancialmente la carga de emociones.

Build your personal board of advisors (PBOD) to keep you accountable to your work-like integration (it’s never balanced, just integrated with a strong cup of integrity to get it the most important aspects accomplished), your personal and professional goals and hold sacred time to discuss hard decisions. Typically it’s 4-5 people you trust to give sound advise in your life. It could be your spouse, a best friend, a colleague you respect deeply, your mom/dad/auntie/uncle, a trusted professional leader. It’s people who respect your code of ethics, understand and believe in your work and life ethos and care profoundly about your continued success in pursuing what’s important and meaningful in your life. Ask them to officially be on your PBOD.

¡Nunca olvidar el calendario! Muy importante contar con tiempos claros, saber que clase de fondo estamos buscando y tener desde un inicio qué resultados esperamos alcanzar. La experiencia me ha llevado a saber, que entre más claras sean las necesidades que mi organización busca trabajar, más fácil es encontrar el/los fondos adecuados.