What keeps you sane as you weather long work days during emergency communications?
Recently we asked CAPIO Board members to share what two things, one personal and one professional, help them stay sane as they weather long days especially during emergencies like the recent storms?
“Personally, I’d say prayer,
gratitude and grace. Gratitude for my many blessings, even in the
chaos, and trying to be reflective of the beauty in every day.
I’m trying to be much more organized and peaceful at home, and
when it doesn’t go just as I’d hoped that day, being ok with
knowing I tried and did my best.
Professionally, OneNote has helped tremendously!” Erin Morales, Government and Public Affairs Supervisor, Cucamonga Valley Water District
“Personal – My wife and I got into
puzzles last year. My laptop is currently sitting on top of one
that’s in progress. It’s a great way to redirect mental focus
away from the day-to-day stuff and towards something else.
Professional – I check in on people and thank them whenever
possible during an emergency. Life is hard, and getting
affirmation during an emergency can help people get through one
of those 12+ hour days. When some misinformation spread during a
recent crisis, I spent a few hours asking the media for
corrections. However, one reporter waited to publish his story
until I addressed the initial report. I thanked him for being
patient and persistent in getting the story right. It meant a lot
to me that he was one person I didn’t have to call to ask for a
correction, and I felt he should know that. He thanked a staff
member and me for working with him during the emergency.
Acknowledging the worth of others helps develop trusting
relationships and makes life a little
better.” Lael Wageneck,
APR, Public Information Officer, Santa Barbara
County Public Works Department
“For me, right now, personally, it
is working out (almost) every day. It gets me out of my head and
into the present moment. It’s always a challenge but I always
feel better afterward! Professionally, using Smartsheets has been
my favorite new tool and I’m quickly seeing its value. It gives
me a sense of organization amidst daily chaos. It shows the
status of projects my team and myself are working on, so I can
quickly see at-a-glance project notes, status, and
responsibilities.” Brie Anne Coleman, APR,
Communications Specialist, Placer County Water Agency
“For me it’s working out, too. I
usually am working out 5-6 days a week for both physical and
mental health. For work, it’s the fun work I’m involved in. Gives
me purpose and I feel like I’m part of the larger mission.”
Maurice Chaney, Public Information
Officer, Environmental Utilities, City of Roseville
“Personal: I try to go to the gym a
few days a week before work and I multi-task: elliptical for 15
minutes while reading my daily devotion, watch the news and/or
listen to an audiobook, then weight-bearing training or yoga. I
love coming home to my Golden Retriever, Buddy—he makes me laugh.
Now if only I can make him my official emotional support dog and
bring him to work, life would really be golden! Professional:
Wanting to commit to taking frequent exercise breaks throughout
the day, per the
WaPost article. This helps me stay sane and alleviate that
feeling of being sedentary.” Sonja Dosti,
Public Information Officer, City of Fresno
“Personally – I am flexing my hours
so that I can do morning drop-off school once a week. Towards the
end of last year, I was in the trenches of working mom guilt. It
all came crashing down when our son told me that he misses me in
the morning (insert flood of tears). After that, I blocked my
schedule on Thursday mornings so that I can drop him off at
school. Professionally – I finally asked for help. I made a solid
case that our tiny team needed another body to support all of the
ARPA-funded projects we have kicking off at the same time. I got
approval to hire an outside consultant. Yay!” Teresa
Collins, Deputy Director of Communications, City of
Escondido
“Personally – I decided that I
needed to incorporate things that make me happy back into my
routine. For me, that is cooking. I am trying different recipes
all week long, and it’s been fun to explore and share my love of
cooking with my family. It also inspires great conversations
around the dinner table, and of course, I’m told what is a hit
and what’s a failure. Professionally – OneNote is my
absolute new favorite program! Before OneNote, I had post-it
notes and personal notebooks with hand-written reminders or to-do
lists. Now my OneNote keeps me organized, refreshes my memory of
past meetings, and helps me stay ahead of my workload. It’s been
work-changing (life-changing).” Sylvia
Ornelas, Senior Strategic Communications
Representative, Western Municipal Water District