Four summer ideas for a better year

publication date: Apr 28, 2021
 | 
author/source: Ann Rosenfield

Summer is nearly here and it is the perfect time to set yourself up for a great rest of the year. Whether it is taking  some time off so you are fully refreshed or taking advantage of the slower pace to get ready for the upcoming busy season, summer is a great time to do what matters for you. Here are four tips to make sure you take full advantage of this time.

Steward

You have the time, why not surprise your top five volunteers with a "thank you" - a quick note as simple as "As we head into the fall, I was thinking about how much time you generously donate to [charity]. Thank you for your hard work." With more time, do the same for your top five donors. 

Our sector is notorious for not thanking people and what a nice surprise for your most important supporters.

Take at least one day off for yourself

In our sector, we often spend too much time working too long. So give yourself permission to unplug for one day. There is something especially blissful about a day off in the middle of the week. So take at least one day to recharge your own batteries (this may mean doing the laundry to get caught up if you want.).

Do one thing you hate for one day

Do you have an inbox so full you keep running into size limits? Take one day, just one day, and get that problem under control. In November, you will thank yourself for this.

Try one new thing

Give yourself the chance this summer to come up with one experiment - one new thing - to try. Whether it is A/B testing your eBlasts, a new format for your annual report, or something really off the charts, think of something new to pilot this next year. We are in a time of massive change so if you don't innovate, you fall behind. This is your chance to innovate.

Ann Rosenfield is the Editor of Hilborn Charity eNews and a working fundraiser. She is really good at this list - except the part of managing her inbox. She is awful at that.

Cover photo by Sander Dalhuisen on Unsplash



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