As I write this, the Covid-19 pandemic is still altering our daily lives. The racial injustices of our country’s systems are being called to carpet for accountability and change. Every media and social media outlet is saturated with this content. Even the commercials of our favorite shows (Jeopardy!) have been altered in a way to remind us of these crises. These things are so big and overwhelming that we start to wonder if we should even bother engaging.
Crisis fatigue. Yes, this is the phrase that describes what you are feeling about 2020. There is no complex definition for crisis fatigue. It is exactly as it sounds: being tired, burned out and wanting to check out due to ongoing societal and/or personal crises. Since the end of our country wide crises is still out of sight, let’s talk about how to address our personal sense of crisis fatigue.
Before we get to the “how to” part of this though, let us first address the cost of not addressing our crisis fatigue, particularly when it comes to racial injustice. (But you can also apply this to the pandemic.)
THE COST OF NOT ADDRESSING CRISIS FATIGUE
Typically we will cope in one of two ways. The first is to disengage. When societal crises aren’t personally affecting us, it is easier to ignore it and wait for the “hype” to die down. However, when trauma (either at the individual or societal level) isn’t addressed, the symptoms of that trauma will erupt with more frequency and intensity until solving the root cause is absolutely unavoidable. Disengage now; turn away from your personal and community work now and expect it to intensify next time at an even greater cost.
The second common way to cope with crisis fatigue is to live in an overwhelmed, anxious state. This could lead to disengagement, or it could look like overconsumption of media, feeling constantly irritable, and/or an inability to focus or attend to tasks and relationships. You may think reading every story and article on the topic is helpful, but if you are consuming information in an anxious state of mind you will not retain the information well or be in a position to make wise decisions with the information.
HOW TO MOVE THROUGH CRISIS FATIGUE INTO SUSTAINABLE ACTION
Consume the right media
This is tricky to talk about, but I’ll do my best. As a white woman, I have identified that I need to educate myself on systemic racism and how it has affected black communities as a whole. I have also chosen to listen to the stories of people I personally know as they share their experiences of interacting with overt and covert racism. This means that most people’s posts and opinions on the topic get scrolled past. I have identified a few people (such as Latasha
Morrison and Makenzie Magnus) to educate me on topics that I need to research more about. I make sure to monitor my emotions and body as I do that research and use calming techniques when needed.
As a business owner, I’ve had to stay on top of a lot of information regarding the pandemic. The same strategy is true here. I know the specific information I need to make informed decisions and where to get it. I protect the limited bandwidth of my mind by strategically consuming only the information needed (from trusted sources) to achieve my goal.
Focus personally
This goes right along with wisely choosing the information we consume and applies to both major crises. Assess what posts/stories you have internal resistance to and examine yourself before the Lord and trusted friends. What personal work do you need to do in order to respond well to current events and have wisdom in choosing your actions? This is a hard task, but it is essential. Start with the media that enrages you. It may be that that person needs to get hidden on your feed, or you need to do internal work. Don’t leave that decision hanging. Make it and keep moving.
Focus locally
Our entire world has been in a crisis since January. Our country’s first major crisis started rolling in around March. The most recent cry for justice in our country was first sounded several states away. When we look at the enormity of the major societal crises happening right now, it can feel like a pit of despair. Yes, these things all need to be dealt with in a large scale way. However, most of us lose sight of the fact that the small scale actions of individuals is what ammasses into large scale change.
What can you do locally--in your neighborhood, school, or city--that can help affect a small change? What slightly larger scale movement or organization can you partner with to be a servant in their mission? Believe in the power of writing your elected officials. Believe in the power that how you conduct your daily interactions with others can affect change.
Identify the difficult emotions you are feeling. Recognize where you are without self-judgment. Create a path forward that is sustainable for you and engages in the work needed to bring healing in our country. Let’s manage our fatigue well so we can be part of a better world.
