The Association Blog

Stress is real in any organization or any industry, yet it’s real in such a different way within animal welfare. And we can’t sugarcoat it. The best thing we can do for our staff and ourselves is to acknowledge the stress. It’s also crucial to remind ourselves and our staff that, at the end of the day, we are empowered to make choices. No matter how stressful the day may have been, I have a choice to let that stress roll over into my evening and bring it back with me the next day—or not. And once you can reset your mind and think about what’s in and out of your control, you can manage your stress a little bit differently.

Of course, it’s not one-size-fits all, and we all have to find what works for us. Recently, for example, I personally made a choice not to connect my phone to my work email. That’s my boundary. And I created a whole new office in my house. It’s in a different setting, much calmer, with different lighting and a different view outside my window. It’s a room where I keep my family antiques, so there’s a sense of peace within this space.

– Kristi Mack, Senior Director, HR & Community Engagement, Humane Society Silicon Valley