How do you balance advocacy and a job?
For those who have to juggle work and advocacy, how do you manage your time to be productive at both without burning all your energy?
When I worked in a government job, I had to be careful when I did visits on the hill. I had to make it clear that I was just EDUCATING, not lobbying. I would tell my reps about problems managing asthma and allergies, and include facts from CDC.
When I was done, another person in our group could talk about legislation and "do the ask".
Andrea M. Jensen, CHES(R), AEC, that seems like a sensible division, and I imagine eliminates any conflicts of interest. Thank you for sharing. - Warmly, Donna (Team Member)
Depending on how much energy I would need to expend, I typically plan out my awareness and advocacy initiatives at least 6-12 months ahead of time. I’ve found this helps me pace out my advocacy work so I don’t over extend myself or burn out. I also choose “advocacy themes” each year as well, which helps me maintain focus, and not get pulled in different directions.
Carefully with intention. I am in the midst of making this work. I have a few key rules for myself to share. It has to speak to my heart and not take more than two hours of my time. My biggest challenge is letting go of some important heartfelt passions so I can w-e-r-k it all out!
We definitely need our rest! I agree with you that our focus shifts.
