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Introducing BREAKWEEK

A movement to normalize 1-week synchronized, organization-wide breaks for nonprofit workplaces.

No guilt. Just rest.

Sunrise over a partially frozen lake surrounded by snow-covered trees and mountain peaks in the background.

Burnout is rampant.

Burnout isn’t a personal failure, it’s a workplace problem.

When workers are asked to give more than they can sustain - chronic overwork, constant urgency, understaffing and unclear priorities - it creates an unsustainable environment.

These challenges make exhaustion inevitable and recovery impossible. And, the costs are very real - higher turnover, lost institutional knowledge, weakened relationships and diminished impact. Burnout signals a mismatch between expectations and capacity, and addressing it requires systemic solutions.

Blurred purple wildflowers in foreground with a lake, distant mountains, and a clear sky in the background.

Enter BREAKWEEK.

One solution to a systemic problem.

BREAKWEEK is a collective rest policy and practice. It provides all employees with an equitable, accessible and consistent opportunity to disconnect from work and professional responsibilities, all at the same time, in service to their wellbeing.

Organizational-wide closures are a proven practice that have been utilized across sectors to promote habits of wellbeing, retention and productivity, and combat burn-out, attrition and exhaustion.

BREAKWEEKs lead to personal and collective rejuvenation, renewed sense of commitment and higher employee satisfaction.

We’ve developed a comprehensive, before, during and after How-To guide to help your organization think about, plan for and implement BREAKWEEKs in order to become healthier and more effective organizations now and in the future.

Ready for your own BREAKWEEK?

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Check out the How-To Guide

But wait, do you already do a BREAKWEEK?

First, high fives 🙌
Second, please share! ➡️

Are you ready to help us capture a first-of-its-kind data set on the impact and effectiveness of BREAKWEEKs (aka collective rest) on organizational sustainability?

It’s true, this data does not yet exist. Crazy, right? Let’s change that. We invite you to complete this pulse survey on behalf of your organization (doesn’t matter your role!). Your participation helps fill this important gap in our collective knowledge. 

The information you provide will be shared in an open access spreadsheet. By submitting the info, you consent to the data being publicly accessible.

“All 40 employees took advantage of BREAKWEEK, and those who reported very high stress prior to the break returned with notable reduced stress that allowed them to be far more productive and creative.”

— BREAKWEEK Organization