“Jobs Where I Don’t Go to Bed Anxious”: The Search History of a Burnt-Out Fundraiser

“Jobs Where I Don’t Go to Bed Anxious”: The Search History of a Burnt-Out Fundraiser

Let's pretend the TikTok comment section is a search history.

This was a meme engagement prompt circulating around Tiktok, so I adapted it for nonprofit fundraisers. And the results were funny but also a bit depressing.

• "Free spa day near me."
• "Easy six-figure grant."
• "Jobs where I don’t go to bed anxious."
• "Work from home jobs where no one yells at me."
• "How to plan a gala on $250."

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I’ve written about burnout. But this felt different. These aren't just punchlines. They're quiet cries for help disguised as jokes. And they struck a nerve. The comments rolled in: funny, raw, painful, *real*. This wasn’t just a social media prompt. It was a mirror for the nonprofit fundraising sector.

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Why We Laugh So We Don’t CrY

Fundraisers turn burnout into memes because humor is safer than honesty.

Because saying "I'm not okay" feels like a risk.

Because the system rewards silence and penalizes boundaries.
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Gallows humor isn't just venting – it's a way our nervous systems regulate under pressure. When enough people laugh at the same joke, it signals: you're not the only one. You're not imagining it. This job is breaking people. Quiet cracking, indeed.

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The Real Punchline?

That the expectations of nonprofit fundraising are structurally absurd:

• Raise millions but don't spend on staff.
• Be warm and authentic but hit your metrics.
• Work for the purpose, but not for the pay.

​We joke because naming it plainly would require everything to change.

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What To Do Instead of Just Laugh

• Name it. Share the meme *and* the meaning.
• Don’t confuse burnout with weakness.
• Support each other. Community is armor.

​You're not alone. And you're not crazy. We need more honest conversations on LinkedIn and in the workplace. We need to acknowledge that burnout isn’t a personal failure. It’s an occupational hazard.
So, if you're a fundraiser trying to find your way back to sanity, find me over on Tiktok or subscribe here to my weekly newsletter. Let’s keep this conversation going!

Cheers!

Jessica

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