Rest Is An Important Part of Work - Not The Opposite of Work
Somewhere along the way we have come to believe, and worse yet, we have come to internalize, that if we are not fighting for animals 24/7/365 that we are not doing enough.
Do you feel like that? If so, why do you feel like that? Are you being told that (subtly or overtly)? Do you get emails on the weekends that you are expected to respond to? Are your vacation requests met with disdain? What happens when you’re sick or need a day off? What if you need a personal day for a family matter?
Have you ever heard the words:
“Well, the animals are in cages right now!”
“You have it better than the animals. What are you complaining about?”
“The animals don’t get a chance to rest.”
“The animals don’t get a vacation.”
How did it make you feel?
You may have heard these words overtly, or perhaps there have been subtle messages you are receiving from your boss or your co-workers. You may feel pressure not to take a lunch break, not to leave or sign-off from work at a reasonable hour, to regularly join calls late into the evenings because your boss is in another time-zone, or, worse yet, not to take the weekends off!
Well, not only are breaks and vacations the law in most places, but more importantly, rest is a part of work. Rest is not the opposite of work. It is a vital component of doing good work. Rest is what makes us better at our jobs, more productive, healthier, and better able to serve the animals. You cannot work if you are not rested. You are not taking care of your mental health if you are not resting. I urge all of you to rest, to rest each day, to rest on the weekends, and to seek out more fulsome opportunities to rest by taking vacations. The animals need you rested, not so exhausted that you can’t do your best for them.
And, the need for rest is even more important now during these challenging and uncertain times, and since many of you are working from home where you may not even be getting a physical break from your workspace.
Take the time you need to do the best you can do for animals for the long haul. You deserve it, the animals deserve for you to be rested, and your employer should be supporting you in doing so - both legally and ethically.
I want to help to empower you to be the best activist you can be. Please reach out with any questions and I’ll try to answer them in future blogs, anonymously of course!
Always for the Animals,
Krista
References:
Crist, P. H., Davis, C. G., & Coffin, P. S. (2000). The effects of employment and mental health status on the balance of work, play/leisure, self-care, and rest. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 15(1), 27-42.
Pang, A. S. K. (2016). Rest: Why you get more done when you work less. Basic Books.
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_resting_more_can_boost_your_productivity
This blog series is provided for general information purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal advice or opinions of any kind. No one should act, or refrain from acting, based solely upon the materials provided on this website, any hypertext links or other general information without first seeking appropriate legal or other professional advice.
The intention of this blog is to promote the longevity and engagement level of the activist community within the Animal Advocacy Movement (AAM). The majority of the advice will be geared towards employees within the AAM in Canada and the United States, but may be applicable to other countries. All information provided assumes that the employee works within a non-unionized environment.
Krista spent the first 15 years of her career in human resources including as the Vice President of HR for one of the largest tech companies in the world. Krista then founded a boutique employment law firm in Toronto where she consulted to employers across Canada and the U.S. for a decade. To pursue her true passion, Krista sold her practice to lead Mercy For Animals in Canada where she led twelve undercover investigations into factory farms and slaughterhouses. Today Krista consults with animal protection organizations across North America on matters of organizational development. In addition to holding five degrees and designations in human resources, she is pursuing her doctorate focused on the employment experiences of animal rights activists.