‘We have to take care of ourselves': How to function at work during times of ‘turmoil and upheaval,' from a trauma expert

Staying well-informed on politics, news, and world events, especially these days, can take a toll on your mental health.

"Trauma is the air that we have been breathing in the 2020s," says Katharine Manning, an expert with more than 25 years of experience of handling distress in the workplace.

From the Covid-19 pandemic to the recent escalations of violence in Gaza and Israel, images of other human beings in severe distress can cause second-hand trauma in viewers. This can lead to compassion fatigue and feelings of burnout and exhaustion.

Work and other responsibilities can seem mundane in the face of greater existential threats, and that can make it hard to get motivated. If your productivity and mood are taking a hit, you're not alone.

"We aren't going to be good at supporting others if we are not taking care of ourselves," Manning says. She references a poem by an Australian poet called "Notes from the First Few Days of 2020" about the wildfires, which gained traction on social media once again during the start of the war in Ukraine

I am washing my face before bed while a country is on fire. It feels dumb to wash my face, and dumb not to.

"Every time I read [this poem], I feel like it could have been written that day, and that is kind of the point," Manning says. "If we are waiting for all of the fires that burn down the world, at work, or in our communities to die down before we start prioritizing ourselves, we are never going to get there.

"In the midst of all of the horror that is going on, we have to find a way to take care of ourselves."

'Take the time to check in with yourself and deal with your feelings'

Instead of suppressing your negative emotions, give yourself permission and space to feel them. "We are hardwired for empathy. There is actually a part of our brain that allows us to feel the feelings of the people that we are even just observing," Manning says.

Prioritize the hobbies you use to cope. Allow this flexibility to others you work with as well, she suggests. 

"For some people it is through exercise, for others it's through writing, going for a walk or doing art," she says. "You will actually get through this more quickly if you just take the time to check in with yourself and deal with your feelings in whatever way that suits you." 

Count your wins, and identify what you're grateful for

To get back on track and re-motivate yourself, Manning advises to think of at least three things you did well at the end of each day. 

"Burnout can be caused by a feeling of ineffectiveness, like you are not actually getting anything done," she says. "So, shifting your perspective a little bit by counting your wins and your gratitudes, instead of looking around at all the things going wrong in the world, can help."

These wins don't have to be big accomplishments. Remembering to check in on a friend or going for a nice walk at lunch time could count. A gratitude could be something as simple as a good cup of tea that you had that day.

Reconnect with your purpose

During times of a lack of motivation and belief in the importance of your work, it is important to "zoom out a little bit" and remind yourself of why you are doing this work. 

"There is a reason why you chose the field that you are in or the particular organization that you work at," Manning says. It can be because you are passionate about a global cause that this job helps you address, or because the pay that you get enables you to sustain your family's needs.

Reminding yourself of what your job means to you is "a great way of getting back some of your resilience and your ability to feel like you are thriving in your work and in your life."

Check in on co-workers and employees more than once

Even well-meaning messages and efforts from employers can fall short in these times, Manning says. Reminding your employees and co-workers that you want them to feel seen and heard, and directing them to available resources, is really important.

But that should not be "a one and done" situation, Manning says. Instead, continue the conversation.

"Often, when we are going through these times of turmoil and upheaval, people come to their emotional responses in very different time frames so if you send out a message but never come back to it, that alone can make your message feel less sincere," she says.

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