Brought Krispy Kreme doughnuts into the office today. Heading downtown at lunch to pick up some ****** for my father’s belated Father’s Day gift. (can’t say, it’s a surprise!).

Some ideas on how to combat volunteer fatigue:

• Get a good night’s sleep. In fact, get several. From personal experience, I know of nothing better to recharge one’s spirits.
• Volunteer in a different way. Seek out a new way to give back. If you volunteer a lot of your time in your home or neighborhood, look to the community. Or vice versa.
• Make sure you are getting the appreciation you deserve. I’m not talking about how god-like you’re powers of good are, of course. But if you’re not getting thanked for the job you do by people you feel should, go find an additional place where people appreciate you.  (And don’t get too hung up on this. We all feel under-appreciated.)
• Be creative about how you’re volunteering.  Try volunteering for something in a new way. Make it fun.
• Work to get to know more people. Volunteering is more than just doing a job. It’s building a community. 
• Smile more. Don’t think smiling is important? Check out this TED video from Ron Gutman.
• Exercise regularly, and go harder than you think you can.  Talk with your doctor first, then really sweat it. Also, in my humble opinion, ditch the iPod’s while you exercise. Listen to your thoughts and you may find out what’s got you so down.
• Get some help. If the job is bigger than you expected, ask for help. There’s no shame in that.
• Build in time for rest. Being lazy isn’t bad. Resting is good. It’s best if rest is not the goal. But as part of a regular routine, it’s timeless.

You are making a difference!