How Canadian journalists take care of themselves

We asked our readers for their best self-care tips. Continue Reading How Canadian journalists take care of themselves

Journalism is a job like few others. But for every extraordinary experience a reporter might have, there are also stressors inherent to the job. Long hours, tight deadlines, the pressure to get it right — these are all anxiety producing pressures. And that doesn’t even include the constant stress of the news cycle and the greater likelihood that a reporter may be exposed to traumatic imagery and events.

As a new batch of journalism students get ready to tip-toe into this world, we asked our readers how they take care of themselves, so that the next generation can learn early how to set boundaries and make sure they are managing the stress of their jobs, right when they get started.

One big theme was the importance of exercise and eating well.

Taking care of your mental health is as important as taking care of your physical health.

Understanding and setting limits on your time can be helpful.

Mentors can provide invaluable assistance and perspective.

Screen free time is really important to many journalists.

A lot of journalists are also making time for their hobbies — everything from video games to roller derby.

There is also no shame in indulging in low-brow entertainment after a day of dealing with serious news.

If you can, get a pet.

Having friends outside of journalism helps a lot.

There are, of course, more extreme approaches.

But, at the end of the day, journalists do meaningful work and get to have incredibly rich and unique experiences. That’s something to celebrate.

H.G. Watson was J-Source's managing editor from 2015 to 2018. She is a journalist based in Toronto. You can learn more about her at hgwatson.com.