Managing Your Own Care While Taking Care of Your Community

These are surreal times that we are living in right now. The COVID-19 global health crisis is taking a toll on everyone. Some are personally affected by the virus. Some are on the front lines battling this pandemic. And many of us are charged with ensuring that our community members feel a sense of safety, belonging, and guidance as they figure out how to navigate the state of the world right now.Personally, it hasn’t been easy. I’m grateful that I am able to get work done and find ways to maintain some sense of psychological and emotional balance while ensuring that my team and community members still feel like someone is there for them. That is invaluable during this time. However, that’s not always the case for many community managers.It’s imperative that you manage your own care while helping others through a crisis. It’s the same advice that is given to doctors, nurses, and anyone else charged with ensuring others are ok when they, themselves, may not be. Here are a few things to remember for yourself while you’re trying to get through.Check-in with yourselfIt’s ok to not be ok. And it’s easy to stuff those feelings down and tuck them away in order to make sure that others feel cared for. But the fact of the matter is that it’s not helping anyone if you don’t address your own feelings. If you’ve ever taken a plane ride anywhere, what’s the first thing the flight attendants tell you about the oxygen mask? Put the mask over your own face before trying to help your neighbor. If you need a break or help or someone to talk to, seek that help and give yourself room to breathe so you can be of help to others when they need it most.Stay active and eat wellTaking care of our bodies is essential to supporting our own care. Studies have shown that regular exercise and maintaining a healthy diet can have positive impacts on the brain and its chemistry, relieving stress, improving memory, and lending to a good night’s sleep. Even when we aren’t in times of crisis, physical well-being and mental well-being go hand in hand and are essential to ensuring that you feel some balance. And just because we’re social distancing right now doesn’t mean you have to skip out on physical activity and healthy diet. There are plenty of apps available that can help you get a 30-minute cardio session in or create a culinary masterpiece that will have your taste buds dancing! Below are a few recommendations:Nike Training ClubYummlyPelotonDaily BurnMealimeGO OUTSIDE! (It's free!)Take a breakThis is easier said than done if you have a team of people looking after your online community. I feel pretty fortunate that I have a strong team that keeps an eye on things and keeps the community running smoothly. But that’s not always the case for many community managers, especially in associations.  If you are a team of one, look for ways to empower your community ambassadors/power users to keep an eye on things while you take a day to take care of yourself. It’s okay to unplug and not be connected for a period of time to allow yourself room to breathe. In fact, it’s almost a must. You can’t be any good to anyone else if you’re not feeling some sense of a reset (see the oxygen analogy under “Check-in with yourself”). I also think it’s extremely important to note here that if you have a team of people managing your online community you need to make sure they have the opportunity to take a break, as well. I cannot stress this enough. They are more hands-on with the community, addressing concerns and are landing right in the thick of all of the emotion associated with uncertainty being conveyed by your community members. Give them time outside of the weekends to reset. Insist upon it. Let them take care of themselves, too.Talk to someoneThere are a thousand different ways that publications and journals will tell us to make sure we take care of ourselves during uncertain times. And there will be times when it seems like none of it is working. Reach out and talk to someone. That someone can be a counselor, a best friend, someone in your network, or a support group. If you’re having a hard time coping, acknowledge it and find someone you can safely express your concerns to. Don’t feel like you have to hold it in.Helping others through a crisis isn’t easy. It’s even more difficult when we’re not sure how we’re going to get through it. But it can be done. Take care of yourselves – first and foremost. And then make sure others have what they need to keep moving forward. Let’s keep on, keepin’ on.