4 Tips for Squeezing in More Personal Time

Beth Kanter is not impressed with your martyrdom.

“Working excessive hours does not equal productivity,” says the consultant and author.

In fact, numerous studies show that people who work more than 40 hours a week often see a drop in productivity. “It’s much better to rejuvenate yourself so you can come back fresh and innovative,” Ms. Kanter says.

Here are some tips from fundraisers about keeping your job from overwhelming your life.

Prioritize.

Be honest about what you can reasonably handle and what tasks are most important. Chances are, not everything you’re working on is urgent, Ms. Kanter says. And keep your supervisors informed about your workload, she adds. Have a conversation about any issues and ask them for help in identifying the most pressing or vital tasks.

Learn to say ‘no.’

If you don’t have the time to take something on, or a request just isn’t a good fit for you, turn it down, says Caleb Baker, lead fundraiser for United Methodist Retirement Homes in North Carolina. When appropriate, offer less time-consuming alternatives: Rather than taking a donor out to dinner, offer to meet for a quick chat at his or her office. And consider delegating to a colleague if necessary.

Set personal boundaries.

Many fundraisers say they feel a need to be “on” all the time, but experts recommend setting a time after which you won’t check your phone or respond to work emails. It’s not always easy, acknowledges Elizabeth Coffey, a fundraiser in Harvard University’s San Francisco office. But when she leaves for vacation, she hands colleagues the information they need to get by without her. “People will figure it out,” she says.

Make your expectations clear.

When Angela Osborn interviewed for the top fundraising job at the Austin Humane Society, she says, she was also planning to start a family. She told the organization she would need some flexibility in her schedule. Because she had been upfront about her needs from the start, her executive director ensured that Ms. Osborn stayed off email and away from work during her maternity leave and encouraged her to ease back into the job upon her return.

Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled Angela Osborn’s last name.