Your Self Hadie Tobar

Helping either a dog or a cat in any urgent or emergency situation takes a lot of energy to follow through in caring for all its needs. People who work and or volunteer with rescuing, caring and or fostering animals love what they do and make a big difference in each of the animals’ lives. Unfortunately, with a lot of healthy pets also being dropped off at a shelter or simply dumped at any location, especially during the pandemic, it adds an emotional stress on those who dedicate their time to saving as many animals as possible. Many rescuers have difficulty looking out for their own well-being because they put the animal’s life before their own. By not taking care of their health over long periods of time, it develops an emotional strain, also called compassion fatigue, in their lives. The constant pressure of rescuing every animal can be a very heavy burden that makes it hard to cope with on a daily basis. It’s important for an animal caretaker or owner to take breaks and re-energize so they can recover well more often. Self-care time can vary for when it is done. People with multiple animals may enjoy fifteen minutes of a creative activity to help relax their mind and body. Whether it is just having a good meal, a nice walk or a nap, there are different ways a person can care for themselves.

Maintaining a good balance between our work and personal lives is a challenge. At least before the pandemic, we were able to leave work tasks at the office. Now, since we are working from home, sometimes it can be difficult to separate being on the clock and being with family. Community Partner Carolina Varela from Uplift Family Services talks about her work environment before and during the pandemic, providing virtual services to parents and her self-care method. It’s important to take breaks throughout the day to help ease the mind from the workload. When it’s time to disconnect at the end of the day, do an activity for as long you need to unwind, and perhaps connect with family and friends. Be creative and enjoy peaceful moments.

Self-care is a way to take care of our well-being. Along with personal and work tasks to do throughout the day, it is just as important to schedule time for your own self-care routine. We review two articles from Psychology Today. One is from Doctor Tchiki Davis about having me-time to recharge your energy. Another article is from Doctor Melissa Shepard on how to be creative with your alone time, especially during a pandemic where social distancing is needed for health safety. There are different ways to have self-care in any amount of time possible. Be creative! It can be reading, taking a walk, or watching your favorite television show. Since we are not able to meet with friends, a phone call or video chat online can help stay connected and have fun while being safe.