End the year on a high note and start 2025 with clarity and confidence. In this post, I share five simple tips—reflecting on your wins, organising your workspace, prioritising self-care, and more—to help you finish December strong and make your January return feel like a fresh start. Whether you're coasting or hustling, these strategies will set you up for success in the new year.

Balancing a humanitarian career and life outside of work is a challenge, especially for women in frontline roles. With caregiving responsibilities often falling disproportionately on women, many face tough choices: transition to headquarters, leave the sector, or risk burnout. Solutions like flexible work arrangements, comprehensive family support, and inclusive policies could transform the sector for women. Discover strategies and insights on achieving longevity in humanitarian work without sacrificing personal well-being. Join the conversation and learn how we can advocate for meaningful change.

Considering a career pivot in the social impact sector? Making a bold career change can be daunting, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. Learn how embracing new challenges can ignite growth, passion, and fulfillment. Discover how group coaching can support you through this transition, providing a community of like-minded professionals navigating similar paths. Don’t wait for the "perfect" time—if it feels right, it probably is. Ready to take the leap? Let’s make it happen together.

As a social impact leader, learning to say no is vital for maintaining focus and delivering on key commitments. Saying no can be challenging due to reasons such as avoiding conflict, wanting to be liked, or long-standing habits. This blog explores the importance of setting boundaries, the consequences of always saying yes, and practical tips on how to say no effectively and gracefully.

In my latest blog post, I tackle the New York Times article on life coaching, addressing common criticisms and celebrating its transformative potential. I discuss the lack of regulation, cost concerns, and the need for measurable outcomes while sharing real-life success stories and data-backed benefits. Special emphasis is placed on the social impact sector, highlighting how coaching can empower leaders, support social entrepreneurs, and drive systemic change. By making coaching more accessible and integrating it into professional development, we can harness its full power for personal growth and meaningful societal impact.

Navigating a fulfilling career in the social impact sector involves aligning professional ambitions with personal values. In an industry prone to burnout and identity shifts, reflecting on core values becomes crucial for sustained success. Drawing from personal experience, I emphasize the importance of this alignment, debunking the myth of sacrificing everything for career advancement.

This week’s blog dives into the world of sabbaticals in the social impact sector, highlighting their transformative power for individuals and organizations alike. From personal anecdotes to practical tips, it covers everything you need to know about embracing sabbaticals for a mindful break and meaningful impact, and how we can advocate for inclusion of sabbaticals across the social impact sector.

It's #WorldHappinessWeek, and we're diving deep into the pursuit of that elusive thing called happiness. We are unpacking what happiness actually is, how it’s relevant for the social impact sector, its workplace culture, and some valuable tips to increase your happiness at work (spoiler alert, the tips are very interconnected with life hacks overall, because we can’t disaggregate work and everything else, but rather we need to look at our lives holistically).

Simply because you once had a desire for a career in social impact, does not mean that this ambition still resonates years or decades later. Misalignment burnout and identity shifts are significant challenges facing social impact leaders today. By recognizing unique dynamics at play within the sector and the innate nature of humans as ever-evolving and shifting, we can reclaim our sense of purpose and resilience in pursuit of meaningful change. Discover your purpose using the 'Sweet Spot Exercise' and align your skills with your passions.

In the dynamic landscape of the social impact sector, a notable trend is emerging: nonprofit executives are increasingly turning to freelance consulting roles for a better work-life balance. Highlighted in a recent article by Jim Rendon in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, this shift reflects the challenges nonprofits face in retaining top talent amid post-pandemic uncertainties. This blog highlights the realities behind consulting, including the benefits and downsides of this career path, and practical strategies to manage the transition.

Before, during and after my sabbatical in 2023, I had the privilege of speaking with hundreds of female peers, colleagues, mentors and leaders across the social impact sector. I was chasing advice, words of wisdom, and a blueprint for how I could better manage my career ambitions, alongside a vibrant personal life and a growing sense of living on the proverbial hamster wheel. My personal and relentless research resulted in the conclusion that achieving a harmonious balance between work and personal life has become a ubiquitous, yet unattained, goal for many. This blog post unpacks why some women are stepping back from social impact careers at different moments across their lives, in the pursuit of life balance, and why we should destigmatize and celebrate this phenomenon, to create positive change across the sector.

As passionate advocates for social change, we often pour our hearts and souls into our work, striving to make a difference in the world. This post unpacks why the social impact sector is particularly at-risk and shares three actionable strategies to help you navigate burnout and cultivate resilience in your mission-driven work.

What happens when you combine 60+ hour work weeks for over a decade, a career that consumes your entire identity, the persistent and immutable trait of saying ‘yes’ and being a people pleaser? Burn out. This article shares the lessons learnt from my sabbatical and the journey that led to the launch of my new venture - Kriitmaa Life & Career Coaching.