Our present moment is rife with instability. From political violence and the looming specter of authoritarianism, to the erosion of our freedoms, rampant gun violence, and countless other anxieties… the question that haunts me is this: “How are we supposed to find our footing in such a world?”
One of the reasons I decided to start my own business and work for myself was because I needed space to process the world around me on my time. I was tired of being held to deadlines when the country was in the middle of crisis after crisis, and I kept thinking…nothing matters right now. I can’t actually type, I can’t submit work, I can’t attend meetings, I’m drowning. How can we continue business as usual? How is this allowed? Can anyone *hear* me?
While I acknowledge my privilege in having the option to work for myself, with a safety net of family and support, I firmly believe that my well-being depended on it. This experience made me reflect on the importance of allowing space for processing within organizations.
So, I’ve been thinking about what it means for organizations to let folks process. And how, I think, our failure to allow space for staff to grieve, to take time off, to process information is a direct result of white supremacy culture, of which “ a constant sense of urgency” is a trait.
“White supremacy culture is not urgent about racial justice; white supremacy culture is urgent in the name of short-term power and profit. And white supremacy culture likes to engender a culture of urgency in those of us who are working to dismantle it because it knows that living with a constant sense that everything is urgent is a recipe for the abuse of power and burnout.”
OOF. This resonated deeply with me. The urgency we often feel in the justice space is crucial, but when it’s centered around productivity, production, and profit, it loses its connection to true justice.
So, how can organizations make room for this societal grief? One recommendation, by Tema Okun’s White Supremacy Culture website, is to create “realistic workplans based on the lived experience of the people and organization involved.”
I also think it requires leadership standing up and encouraging their colleagues to disconnect for a while. Take a walk, be outside, engage with others. Take stock of the actual work that needs to be done, and what can be delayed. Organizations can provide access to mental health resources, offer flexible work arrangements, or create safe spaces for dialogue. It also requires deep acknowledgment and validation of the grief – recognition that we are experiencing collective trauma.
One counter-argument might encourage fostering a culture of resilience instead of a culture of processing. I think we can do both. They are not mutually exclusive. I abide by the phrase, you can’t pour from an empty cup. We cannot seriously do the work of systems-change and social justice if we, as individuals, are exhausted, mentally, physically, emotionally. I believe that by giving ourselves room to process, we are growing in resilience. We are training our bodies healthy ways to process information. True resilience isn’t about ignoring or suppressing emotions; it’s about developing the capacity to cope with adversity in a healthy way. We are essentially training our minds and bodies to navigate adversity, not just endure it or move past it.
I really believe engaging in this practice of processing is critical to our health, but also to our work. By carving out the space to grieve, breathe, process, and reflect, we are actively fostering resilience within ourselves. This paves the way for a more sustainable and impactful journey towards the social change we seek. Let’s all try practicing this together, shall we?