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Camp director burnout is real
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Camp director burnout is very real. Sure, the summer months are over, but maybe the exhaustion hasn’t lifted. Just know that the feeling isn’t weakness. It might just be feedback. See, the off-season should feel like recovery. Catching up on life, reconnecting with family, maybe even picking back up on some hobbies (remember those!?). But for many directors and camp pros, the break doesn’t feel at all like a break. The thought of next summer already feels a bit heavy. This matters because obviously burnout isn’t sustainable. But it also might not mean what most directors think it means. The Industry AssumptionWhen directors feel burned out, they will have a bunch of thoughts creep in: Maybe I’m not cut out for this. Maybe camp work is too demanding. Maybe the emotional weight of managing staff, parents, and kids is too much. Maybe it’s time to leave the industry entirely and find a “real job”. Boards see this happening too. A great director starts showing signs of exhaustion, and the assumption is that they need to work less, delegate more, or take a sabbatical. But that diagnosis misses the mark some. It Might Be Mismatch, Not the IndustryBurnout isn’t always about the work. **❌ “Am I done with camp directing?”** ✅ “What needs to change so I can sustain this work I love?” Culture fit determines energy levels in ways most directors don’t recognize until it’s too late. But culture isn’t fixed. Directors shape culture every day. Sometimes intentionally, sometimes not. Signs that something needs adjustment:
These aren’t reasons to leave. They’re signals about what to address. Questions Worth Asking, Actions Worth TakingFor directors: Which parts of the job still energize me? Which parts drain me because I’m doing them alone? What would need to change for me to feel effective again? For boards: Is our director burning out because they’re overworked, or because systems aren’t clear? Have we distributed leadership, or centralized everything on one person? What support does our director actually need? Most burnout isn’t about leaving. It’s about building differently. Distribute responsibility. When roles are clear and leadership is shared, directors can lead instead of doing everything. Build culture intentionally. The camps where directors thrive long-term are places where culture supports the leader rather than battling against them. Create systems. Clear processes for decisions, communication, and accountability prevent directors from becoming the bottleneck for everything. Find your people. Directors who stay connected to professional communities handle stress better. Isolation amplifies burnout. Energy Through ChangeBurnout doesn’t mean failure. It means something needs to change. Sometimes that’s rest and boundaries. Sometimes it’s clearer systems and distributed leadership. Sometimes it’s reshaping culture to align with values. The directors who thrive long-term aren’t working less. They’re working in ways that sustain them. If the off-season exhaustion hasn’t lifted, the answer probably isn’t leaving camp work. It’s rebuilding how the work gets done. Sincerely, Senior Consultant at Immersive1st Learn more about Immersive1st's Approach |
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