IS DIVERSITY FATIGUE HOLDING US BACK? HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO

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Diversity fatigue is a common problem in today’s world. A phrase that was brought to us in the 1990s, it originally referred mostly to fatigue among managers trying to handle diversity efforts - but it has spread to be more inclusive over time, and now refers to anybody who feels tired of talking about diversity, or the lack of it in today’s world.

It’s not surprising that people are feeling worn down by the ongoing diversity struggle, especially since, even after decades of effort, progress remains slow and initiatives are often poorly managed or communicated. We’ve made big steps in some areas, but the fundamental problems of creating truly equitable, diverse spaces have remained in many ways. Those who are fiercely committed to diversity are perhaps at the greatest risk of feeling this fatigue, of feeling that their efforts and struggles are having little to no effect.

But the fight is far from over, and if the best warriors are getting burned out… where does that leave us? We need to find ways to renew our energy and reignite our passion for continuing the struggle. Let’s find out how.

Give yourself wins to celebrate

It is immensely important to take enough time to celebrate whenever you achieve something in the diversity space, even if the win feels small. Whenever you make a positive change, remember that you are impacting the lives of others for the better, having a meaningful impact on the world. It might not feel huge to you, but it could be huge to somebody else!

It has often been noted that celebrating small wins is one of the best ways to boost your motivation and sense of life satisfaction. When you recognize a success, you are much more likely to feel greater self-esteem and self-efficacy, which will encourage you to continue with your work. You’ll find that you see diversification efforts as less of an uphill slog with no rewards, and more as a series of successes, where you are making a meaningful difference.

So, how can you celebrate your wins? Follow this process:

Set some clear goals (these can be small or large, but make sure that at least some are small, so you can celebrate regularly).
Decide in advance what your reward will be when you achieve a small goal - you might buy yourself a new book, have a massage, or spend a day in nature. Do something that will make you happy.
Decide in advance how you’ll celebrate a big win, perhaps by going out and celebrating with friends, having a weekend away, or something similar.
Find someone you can work with who will hold you accountable for these rewards and encourage you to make sure they happen. When you’re driven by a strong goal, it can be easy to “not bother” with the rewards because they feel unimportant, but they matter a lot for maintaining your motivation.

Remember to keep setting new goals and repeating this process of rewarding yourself when you put in the work. It’s a great way to avoid that burnt-out feeling!

Empower others

The fight for diversity and inclusion is not one you can take on alone. Individuals who try to tackle it single-handedly often feel overwhelmed and struggle to make lasting changes. By definition, diversification efforts must involve multiple people. That means that one of the most powerful ways you can magnify your work is to empower others.

When you educate and encourage others to join the diversity mission, you’re massively increasing your impact without piling more work and responsibility onto your own shoulders. This can help reduce the feeling that you have to do everything, alleviating the sense of overwhelm and exhaustion that often comes with fatigue.

There are many ways to empower others, both at work and in your everyday life. Offering educational resources and training can be a great starting point; people can’t help if they aren’t educated. Furthermore, when they understand the issues, they may be able to come up with new ways to support you and drive the inclusivity efforts forward.

Even just having people who agree with you and offer moral support can be enormously beneficial to your sense of progress. If everybody around you is on your side, even if their actual contributions are minimal, it can be easier to feel like you’re on the right path and moving forward.

Diversify your approaches

When you’re working on one thing consistently and feel like you’re making no headway, burnout is an almost inevitable outcome. Maybe you’re pushing for better hiring practices or improved services for disabled individuals. If you’re not getting very far, it’s okay to temporarily turn your efforts elsewhere.

Taking on more initiatives when you’re already feeling burnt out might seem counter-productive, but the key lies in doing something very different. Burnout often results from wearing the same grooves in your brain over and over again. If you do something totally different that uses different skills, you’re less likely to feel exhausted.

You’re also more likely to find areas where you can set goals and see successes, which further reduces the burnout risk and makes it easier to feel satisfied with your life and work.

So, look for ways you can improve diversity in other areas. Perhaps you could start a mentorship program or run some seminars, or maybe you could set up a safe space for a certain demographic to use. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s very different from your other efforts so you aren’t just adding new tasks to your plate and increasing your risk of fatigue.

Recognize it’s not all on your shoulders

If you’re passionate about inclusivity efforts, it’s easy to feel like you have to do everything all at once, or else you’ve failed. That’s not the case! Everybody has a responsibility to contribute to diversification efforts; we all have to do our bit. Realizing that the problems are not all yours to solve and you aren’t solely responsible for success can ease some of the burden. Remember, even if you’re only making small contributions, you’re doing more than many others - and your efforts are deeply appreciated by everyone in the community!

But here’s a real question to ponder - who carries the weight of diversity work the most, and who gets tired first?

Time to get hands-on!

If you recognize these 5 signs, it may be time to reassess your approach, seek support, and find ways to re-engage with diversity efforts in a healthier way.

Loss of motivation – You used to engage in diversity discussions, but now you avoid them out of frustration.
Increased skepticism – You feel like nothing changes, no matter how many training programs or discussions happen.
Emotional exhaustion – As a marginalized employee, you feel like you’re always the one speaking up, and it’s exhausting.
Frustration or resistance – You roll your eyes when another diversity meeting is announced.
Going through the motions – You attend diversity events but don’t actively participate or apply the learnings.