What does best practice look like?
The guidance below is best practice. It will not always be possible for you to follow all of it due to things outside of your control e.g. deadlines. It's important you highlight and discuss where you're unable to follow the guidance this with your manager as this will increase the likelihood of you feeling more extreme emotions and your risk of developing vicarious trauma:
Only work on the collection/ project in the mornings - this gives you space and prevents the likelihood of you 'taking' the work home with you.
Never work on this collection/ project while working from home - similar to above, inviting this work into your home reduces your ability to separate yourself from the work.
Avoid working to a deadline - this may be the hardest to follow due to decisions being made that are outside of your control. Working to a deadline is probably one of the most significant factors in the likelihood of staff experiencing distressing emotions and not being able to process them effectively.
Work on the most upsetting material in short bursts - this can even be just 5-10 minutes at a time.
Set up a ‘buddy’ or engage with a support group - [tbc]
Reflect on any secondary resources you will be using. Could these also be a source of stress or upset for you. If so, use these in a similar way to the collections i.e. limit your exposure, only use them in the morning/ at work.
Reflect on your own personal history. Is there anything about the collection/project that could be uniquely upsetting or difficult for you?
Understand and acknowledge that becoming desensitised to the material should never be an aim. Interacting with material you've become desensitised to means you are no longer able to see or read what is actually there but merely a version of it that your brain can handle.
Work with your manager to build in a tangible payoff at the end.
Say no - you do not have to work with a collection you feel will make you distressed.
What should you do at work if you feel negatively affected because of being exposed to distressing material at work?:
Stop working on it or work on something else
Take a break away from your desk
Go for a walk outside, preferably in a local park or garden
Talk to a buddy or support group [tbc]
Find a quiet spot to take a break or process your emotions.
Use different grounding techniques. Examples include using the 5-4-3-2-1 technique, trying some EFT tapping or meditating.
What should you do after work if you feel negatively affected because of being exposed to distressing material at work?:
Avoid unhealthy coping mechanisms. These include drinking alcohol more than you normally would or engaging in binge eating.
Exercise and/or meditate
Go outside, preferably to a park or garden
Take a bath or shower as soon as you get home
Do something you know will make you feel safe and calm e.g. watching a favourite film or tv series.
If you're experiencing intrusive thoughts or flashbacks, try playing Tetris. You can read more about the benefits of this here: https://trustnet.wellcome.org/news/mental-health-treatment-which-includes-playing-tetris-reduces-flashbacks
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