Do any of the following statements apply to you?

I’m good at what I do — real good!

I’m a pleasant person! Gosh darn it, people like me!

I have friends and family members in my life, and I don’t hate them! Not even a little!

I have trouble saying “no” to people in need. I’m nice like that!

If you answered “YES” to any of the statements listed above, you are a high-risk candidate for PRO BONO BURNOUT. If you answered “YES” to all 4 statements, you’re not even reading this right now, because you’re obviously buried under a stack of pro bono commitments so huge and ponderous that you can’t even sit upright.

Here’s the truth: pro bono work absolutely has it’s place in every healthy career. Extreme acts of generosity breed opportunities, open doors, generate buzz … and steel-plate your karma. Sweet.

But here’s the other side of the truth: your time isn’t infinite. You need to make a buck, now & again. And more importantly — you need to avoid burning out, and grotesquely resenting the cash-strapped folks who need you so badly.

Here are 3 exercises to help you filter & finesse pro bono inquiries. Use them with lightness & love.
Just like your Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo — no tangles, no tears.

1. CALCULATE THE TRUE VALUE

Some pro bono gigs are actually gems in disguise. An unpaid speaking gig 5 minutes from your house that places you in front of 45 potential clients? Sweet! A freebie article in a terrific magazine that reaches your target demographic and bolsters your portfolio? Swell! A guest-post on a high traffic blog, with tons of cross-promotional potential? Sign me up!

So before you commit, measure the gig’s true value in terms of publicity / exposure / connections / training / credibility / perks / presents / probability that you’ll get to make out with someone foxy. And then subtract points for geographic distance / money spent out of pocket / general lameness / unsexiness / manual labor / smelly coworkers.

If you’re left with a negative number or zero, skip it. Positive number? Consider it.

2. CREATE AN ALLOWANCE

The ever-resourceful Dyana Valentine has a brilliant tactic for monitoring pro bono assignments. She allots herself a monthly “allowance” of pro bono hours, and once the reserve has been drained, she explains to peeps that she’d love to help, but it’s gotta be next month. Simple. Clean. Respectful.

3. MAKE A COUNTER-OFFER

They need business mentorship? Refer ‘em to S.C.O.R.E.

They need job-hunting support? Shoot ‘em to Help My Resume.

They want you to speak for the crowd? Propose a virtual Skype session.

They want copyediting for their press release? Offer to do a quick proofread, and fine-tune the boilerplate.

They want a guest-post or freebie article? Propose a phone interview instead, or a re-purposed post from your archives.

They want an ongoing volunteer commitment? Pitch a one-night-only event or workshop, and leave behind some useful materials.

They want a website, designed from the ground up? Suggest a user-friendly WordPress template, walk ‘em through domain registration & installation, then hand ‘em the keys.

They want your precious, valuable time? Donate a digital product or resource guide.

They want advice? Give it … for 15 minutes. Then explain that you’ve got other commitments, and wish them unlimited success.

Bottom line — no one’s gonna protect your time but YOU.

So guard it viciously, but extend aid creatively.

And try not to secretly resent everyone on earth. It’s bad for the complexion.

xo.

Bad-ass Tank Girl via Copacetic Comics.