As Mental Health Month gets into full swing, we wanted to put together some self-care ideas for advocates to practice during this time. Since we can’t congregate together in large groups, some of our typical self-care rituals have to be adjusted.
Why Self-Care is Important
Advocates should always be practicing self-care. We encounter a variety of potentially traumatic experiences during our time as advocates. From tragic crimes to court cases that don’t turn out the way we expected, the potential for vicarious trauma and burn out is always there.
Most of us know what vicarious trauma is - practically every training session we attend has at least one session and one keynote about it. Some of us naively think it won’t happen to us - we think we’re stronger, we’re more resilient. And, while that may be true, we should also consider that we shouldn’t stop doing things that would make us resilient, especially during a time such as this.
Practicing self-care is a great way for us to spend time cultivating a strong resilience.
1. Turn Off the Electronics
While most of us may be working from home these days, when we clock out for the day, we should fully clock out. It’s tempting, as an advocate, for us to think we should always be available when a victim needs us 24/7. However, one of the best things we can do to ensure we are at our best for the victims who need us is to strictly adhere to a schedule in which we eliminate the blue screen after a certain time of day. Be clear with your clients that you are only available from certain hours, and instruct them on who to contact during your ‘Do-Not-Disturb’ time.
2. Have a Virtual Happy Hour
Virtual happy hours have been popping up everywhere these days. Even if you don’t want to drink any alcohol, you can still blend yourself a smoothie or brew yourself a nice cup of tea and hop on a Zoom call with your friends. Consider having a work happy hour, too, where you, your fellow advocates & any other professionals in your office can get together and talk about non work related things.
3. Go for a Walk Every Day
It’s important to remain physically active, especially today, when most of us are no longer walking with the office halls. For advocates, that means we aren’t typically running back and forth to court or going to the law enforcement offices to pick up papers. Going for a brisk, 30 minute walk outside is a great way to release any pent-up energy and get some much-needed Vitamin D. If you live in a heavily populated area that typically has more than 10 people crowding the sidewalk, open the curtains to let some fresh light in and do some home workouts.
4. Try to Create a Sleep Routine
Even though our bodies naturally sleep less during crisis periods, we should still try to have a sleep routine. If you’re not working the same hours every day, it can be tempting to sleep in or go to bed late. However, that isn’t good for us - and it certainly won’t help us get back into a routine once this is all over! If you have kids, try to create a sleep routine with them, too. This time is unprecedented, but that doesn’t mean we have to forgo everything we know keeps us grounded.
5. Color or Read
Coloring is known to have a positive effect on reducing anxiety. Take some time out of your day - maybe during your lunch break - to color. If coloring tends to stress you out (all I can think about while I’m coloring is the coordination of the colors, etc), then read a book! There are tons of books out there that can help you escape - even if for an hour - each day to relax you and remove you from the wild world that is advocacy.
6. Be Open with Your Support Network
Your support network can’t support you if they don’t know what’s going on. Be real with your friends and family - they need to know the kind of situations you work in. The kinds of situations your clients live in. You can still retain the confidentiality of your clients while talking with your friends and family. Those of us who work in smaller communities might find this difficult, but it’s still important to be open and honest with those of us who are supposed to be our refuge when we leave the office. For many of us, the office is suddenly our home now, too, and it’s getting more and more difficult to compartmentalize or ‘leave it at the office.’ Be open with your support network, but don’t forget they can’t carry your weight, either.
7. Talk to a Professional
In times like these, it’s important to have a professional to talk with. We might think we have it all together or under control, but there might be something bubbling under the surface and we just don’t recognize it yet. Telehealth has boomed during this time, so it’s easier than ever to get in touch with a professional without the awkward experience of sitting in a waiting room or being face-to-face. They are typically bound by a much higher standard level of confidentiality than your friends and family, so the things you tell them - the cases you tell them about - won’t leave their office.
As advocates, it’s important we take care of ourselves - and each other. This Mental Health Month, check in on your fellow advocates and start some self-care practices that will keep your mind and soul positive during this time.