Read on Twitter
Just finished a session from @atompkins + Sidney Tompkins about mental health as a journalist during COVID at #IRE20. As someone who has struggled with anxiety for years as so many others in this field do, the info was alarming. Here were some facts & tips:
70% of journalists suffer from some psychological distress. 26% of journalists have significant clinical anxiety.
There are so many stressors from our job (made worse by pandemic): lack of job security, feeling overwhelmed with deadlines, high scrutiny, etc.
There are so many stressors from our job (made worse by pandemic): lack of job security, feeling overwhelmed with deadlines, high scrutiny, etc.
All this can lead to compassion fatigue, which happens a lot to reporters. Signs include:
-fatigue
-less empathy
-anger
-dreading work
-poor job satisfaction
-hypersensitivity
-poor work life balance
-difficulty sleeping
-fatigue
-less empathy
-anger
-dreading work
-poor job satisfaction
-hypersensitivity
-poor work life balance
-difficulty sleeping
So how can we reset to normal? Both speakers had some great tips.
1) Keep pictures on your desk that remind of you a "normal time." Photos with friends, family, pets, etc. that make you smile and remember the important parts of life + hope for returning to those moments someday.
1) Keep pictures on your desk that remind of you a "normal time." Photos with friends, family, pets, etc. that make you smile and remember the important parts of life + hope for returning to those moments someday.
2) Connect with your colleagues!
Silence does not equal someone being okay. Reach out to check in with people not only about work matters, but just to see how they're doing.
Also no one ever checks in with their boss unless there's a problem. They're people too! Check in!
Silence does not equal someone being okay. Reach out to check in with people not only about work matters, but just to see how they're doing.
Also no one ever checks in with their boss unless there's a problem. They're people too! Check in!
3) Come up with a schedule and honor it
On top of doing this for yourself and having separation between work and life, be mindful of when you're sending emails and DMs. If you send an email at 10 pm on a Saturday night, you might stress out coworkers!
On top of doing this for yourself and having separation between work and life, be mindful of when you're sending emails and DMs. If you send an email at 10 pm on a Saturday night, you might stress out coworkers!
4) Stake out office space
If you don’t, your whole home becomes your office. That makes it difficult to shut down and stop working.
Don't eat at your desk.
Walk away at the end of the day and don't return until the next day.
If you don’t, your whole home becomes your office. That makes it difficult to shut down and stop working.
Don't eat at your desk.
Walk away at the end of the day and don't return until the next day.
5) TAKE YOUR VACATION TIME!!!
72% of Americans did not take any vacation this summer due to COVID reasons (did not have somewhere to go, felt guilty using PTO while working from home, worried about becoming more vulnerable to furloughs/layoffs)
You need some time away!
72% of Americans did not take any vacation this summer due to COVID reasons (did not have somewhere to go, felt guilty using PTO while working from home, worried about becoming more vulnerable to furloughs/layoffs)
You need some time away!
6) Praise your colleagues when they do something well.
A symptom of compassion fatigue is feeling little reward from things that used to give you joy (ex. publishing a story). Normalize promoting each other's work and telling people when they did a great job!
A symptom of compassion fatigue is feeling little reward from things that used to give you joy (ex. publishing a story). Normalize promoting each other's work and telling people when they did a great job!
7) Help others.
Generosity releases endorphins. Volunteer (safely). Call a friend in need. Do something small for another person each day.
Generosity releases endorphins. Volunteer (safely). Call a friend in need. Do something small for another person each day.
8) Come up with gratitudes each day!
Giving thanks can make you happier when you focus on some positives in life instead of all the overwhelming negatives (which are ok to feel sometimes, too!)
Giving thanks can make you happier when you focus on some positives in life instead of all the overwhelming negatives (which are ok to feel sometimes, too!)
Favorite line from @atompkins: "We’re not just spreadsheets and investigations. If we don’t take care of ourselves, the rest of that isn’t going to matter."
