Workhorse Collaborative

We love sharing work tips, but it's just as important to know when *not* to work. The exhausted and overwhelmed version of you is not the one your team wants. If you're facing burnout, here are some guiding principles on maintaining your equilibrium:

😵‍💫Stop being the Jane-of-all-trades. You don't have to offer to do something just because no one else will. That's probably how your task list got too full. It’s generous to everyone except you!

🐟Teach some fools to fish. Stop doing all the damn fishing yourself. If they aren't interested in learning or practicing, they don't get to have fish. (Fishing here is a metaphor for, let's say, turning a doc into a pdf.)

🚧Set boundaries in your out-of-office messages. If you tell people that you’re out but it’s totally cool to text you anyway, they will. And if they text you and you actually respond, good luck ever walking that precedent back. Say it in your out-of-office, and back it up by not responding to boundary breakers.

🥪Take lunch. That's the whole note. Take lunch. Wherever, and with whomever, you please.

[ID: A burnt-out match. The text reads, "Feeling a little burnt out?"]

Here's Part 2 of our Pittsburgh neighborhood color palette series! We put together additional mood boards for some iconic Pittsburgh communities. Did we capture your favorites? What colors would you have picked? 🎨

[ID: Slide 1: The text reads "The Strip. All roads in Pittsburgh lead to the Strip. - Visit Pittsburgh". There are photos of a mural, a brightly colored walkway, Wholey's Fish Market, the Heinz History Center, and a Heinz ketchup bottle, as well as color swatches featuring shades of blue, red, pink, and yellow. Slide 2: The text reads "Hazelwood. Known for its rich history and diverse community. - Nextdoor". There are photos of street art and a tree-lined street, as well as color swatches of yellow, orange, lavender, and green. Slide 3: The text reads "Carnegie. A vibrant community with a unique history make this up-and-comer worth visiting. - Visit Pittsburgh". There are photos of a bustling street, the exterior of a building, and a creek, as well as color swatches of teal, brown, tan, and dark blue.]

Meet Daniel Fleegle, our communications and data strategist!

Daniel lives for data-informed storytelling that fosters authentic connections. Leveraging 12+ years of experience across the arts, higher education, and journalism, he translates complex information into strategic insight. As the Audience and Communications Manager at Attack Theatre, he nurtured a strong sense of community among performers and the public. At Pittsburgh's Public Source, he grew audiences with meaningful content rooted in journalistic integrity.

When he isn’t using his storytelling skills for organizations, he can be found using them to devise strange adventures for Pittsburgh-inspired D&D campaigns. 🎲🧙🏻‍♂🐉

[ID: A photo of a smiling white man with brown hair. The text reads, "Meet Daniel Fleegle, Communications & Data Strategist".]

Jackie is over the moon to be working with urban advocacy org Omaha by Design, helping analyze their financials and support their organizational strategy as part of the team over at Rebecca Thomas & Associates. Omaha By Design is an intermediary organization: an in-betweener, a convener, a connector, and an advocate for a thriving metro community in Omaha, Nebraska. They’ve also got a gorgeous, human-centric website that’s a breath of fresh air. Link in the comments 👇

[ID: The text reads "New Client Welcome! Omaha By Design" above a photo of a building with a colorful mural.]