I don’t know about you, but working right now feels dissonant. The ratios of purpose -to- activities is off. Why am I tippy typing emails about trivial things? Why am I in any planning meeting for a project that isn’t about protecting or helping people?
And, needing to generate money to survive feels similarly bad: Why do I have to make money to support this horrific imperialist machine??
The cognitive disconnect of talking about a future that feels like it’s receding into the background of imminent needs and harsh realities isn’t news to anyone who’s experienced marginalization, but this years’ particular version is hitting father, harder, and cuts more deeply. And, there’s two tracks.
For people doing work unrelated to protecting or helping, the dissonance between work and life can feel like it engages a dissociative trauma response.
For people who are in fields where there is a connection to helping or protecting people – from therapists to teachers to community org staff to cultural workers to public service providers – the urgency and needs are front and center and there’s both not enough time and a need for much more space in the day, these folks are in the trauma directly or secondarily.
Whether you are working for yourself or someone else in these times … still needing to make money because you need to spend it to survive in the US economy might also feel … straight up bad.
I don’t have answers that feels sufficient for the pain and dissonance many are feeling right now, but here’s a few places to start:
1 / Do not pretend this horror and your disconnect isn’t happening. Your nervous system does not need that. Your clients and colleagues do not need that.
2 / Flexibility – for rescheduling yourself or clients. Everyone is in more chaos and you need more time buffers now than ever.
3 / Taking leave if you need it and can access it: FMLA or short term disability if you have a day job, tapping savings if you work for yourself.
4 / Stop before you’re exhausted. Rest, restore so you can bounce back.
5 / Expect to use your money differently. You might be earning less due to working less, so see what costs you could cut or share. Similarly, for people who still have extra money, plan to share some. Who needs groceries, a top up for rent, a massage…
I had a video go miniviral [for me] asking these questions, watch it here: