Episode Details

Managing volunteers often means juggling a wide range of responsibilities. From responding to emails and coordinating schedules to planning events and maintaining relationships, volunteer leaders frequently feel pulled in many directions at once. 

In this episode, Tobi Johnson shares practical strategies to help volunteer managers regain focus and reduce the sense of constant overwhelm. Drawing from her own nonprofit experience, she explains why the common pressure to “do more with less” can make work harder rather than more productive. 

Tobi walks through several simple but powerful approaches to managing your time more intentionally, including setting clear priorities, protecting time for focused work, and reducing the impact of constant interruptions and task switching. 

You’ll also hear why delegating outcomes instead of tasks, building stronger systems, and protecting your personal energy are essential for sustainable leadership. 

If you often feel like your to-do list never ends, this episode offers practical ideas to help you work more strategically, focus on what matters most, and create a more manageable rhythm in your volunteer leadership work. 

Full show notes: 205. My Top Time Management Tips for Overwhelmed Volunteer Managers 

Time Management Tips - Episode Highlights 

• [00:27] - Overwhelm Is Real 
• [02:04] - Do Less With Less 
• [05:11] - Set Clear Goals 
• [10:10] - Prioritize By Goals 
• [12:31] - Deep Work And Batching 
• [20:49] - Quick Break And Newsletter 
• [21:54] - Delegate Outcomes Not Tasks 
• [26:52] - Build Margin Protect Energy 
• [31:11] - Rest As Leadership Skill 
• [35:11] - Rapid Fire Bonus Tips 

Helpful Links 

• VolunteerPro Blog - Pro Roundup: A Month of Love with Free Nonprofit Tools, Downloads, and Templates  
• Volunteer Nation Episode #185: To Burnout & Back – My Secret Struggle with Long COVID 
• Volunteer Nation Episode #023: Secrets to Managing Time and Energy  
• Volunteer Nation Episode 046 – Save Time with Better Volunteer Management Systems

Volapalooza is a free, virtual festival designed specifically for leaders of volunteers.

Featuring three events across four showtimes, including:

• Hidden Opportunities for Volunteer-Fueled Organizations
• 5 Essential Pillars to Finding & Keeping Committed Volunteers
• What I Wish I Had Known When I Started Leading Volunteers

Grab your festival passes.

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Volunteer Nation podcast. If you enjoyed it, please be sure to subscribe, rate, and review so we can reach more people like you who want to improve the impact of their good cause.  

For more tips and notes from the show, check us out at TobiJohnson.com. For any comments or questions, email us at WeCare@VolPro.net.