Are you suffering from ‘compassion fatigue’? Here’s how you can stay resilient

As the pandemic drags on, and as societies face high tolls in terms of lives lost and livelihoods ruined, we all sometimes feel like giving up. Anxiety, stress, irritability...these are all signs of being emotionally drained. But it is important that we all stay resilient in the face of crisis. We need to be able to deal with the strain of the pandemic and all that it brings and stay strong for our families, workplace, and society. But how can one stay grounded when the world seems to be falling apart? Here are four pointers that I find very helpful.

Spirituality is paramount: I’m not talking about religion here. I see spirituality as an individual practice having to do with finding and holding on to peace and purpose. To be sure, some people find that religious practices help them find peace and purpose. But remember, not all religious people are spiritual, and not all spiritual people are religious.

At a time when you are barraged by bad news and when fear is all around, it is important to spend some time for yourself, and aim to strengthen positive emotions like peace, awe, contentment, gratitude, and most important, acceptance. Practising spirituality also ensures that your mind becomes more disciplined, and therefore more orderly and peaceful. There are many ways to do this, the most common being meditation. Some people prefer reading or listening to specific music. Whatever you choose, make sure that it leaves you feeling calm and at peace.

Social connectedness: At a time when we are told to practice self isolation to keep our communities safe, it’s easy to lose social interaction. Make sure you don’t stop communicating; call friends and family regularly. Ask colleagues how they are. Don’t withdraw into a shell simply because you’re working from home or because you can’t go out for dinner with friends. Virtual meetings may lack the human touch, but they are a good way to stay in touch. Talking with people also tells you that you are not alone; asking them how they are allows them a chance to vent -- what some psychologists call social catharsis.

Accept your helplessness: You cannot fix everything, however much you may want to. Give yourself permission to be helpless in the face of overwhelming odds. You cannot stop the pandemic; you cannot help everyone suffering because of it. If you allow yourself to get overwhelmed by your own helplessness, you are opening yourself up to emotional fatigue. This is not to say you shouldn’t help. Of course you should. Join a volunteer group, donate as generously as you can, give time and money to those who need it. But never assume that these efforts can solve a crisis. If you accept the limitations of what you can do, you will save yourself a lot of emotional trauma.

Fake it to make it: Yes, I am telling you that it’s okay to be dishonest sometimes. When everything is going wrong, and everyone around you is stressed and immensely sad and worried, try pasting a smile on your face even when you absolutely don’t feel like smiling.

You’ll see that even a fake smile can be infectious in these dark times.