The war in Ukraine is also a war in your head!

When devoting yourself to others, remember yourself – otherwise there will be serious consequences.

On the one hand, the world is turned upside down, on the other it shows beautiful solidarity.
Millions in Ukraine suffer, flee or fight. Millions around the world are trying to help.

On days when many people support you financially, physically, materially, housing, you should take a moment to take care of yourself and your loved ones.

Every extreme is bad.

If we give 100% of the money, living space, time to help others – our families, relatives and ourselves may suffer. We must ensure that the so-called Dark Four and the so-called SWMD syndrome – that is, Stress, Burnout, Marasmus, Depression.

Yesterday we published a podcast entitled War in Ukraine – how to psychologically take care of yourself, others and refugees . There, for over an hour, we talk about how to take care of our own and others’ psyche.

Here are some key rules that will help us survive the next few weeks emotionally.

• Help as much as you can
• Do not compare yourself with others that others gave more money, accepted more Ukrainians, spent more time shopping, etc.
• You don’t have to help if you can’t – if you can’t, you don’t have to. Just. Ask yourself: do I want to or can I help? But if you are overwhelmed by this situation, don’t feel bad. Take care of yourself. You have the right to do so.
• Know the limits of endurance – everyone has a specific personality, physical and mental resistance. Ask yourself: where are my limits? Remember that if you exceed them, your body or mind will suffer and then you will need help.
• You don’t need to follow the news – you don’t need to be up to date, you don’t need to know. If you really need it, if it gives you a sense of calmness, confidence, control, that’s OK, but if you feel it overwhelming you, take care of as much news as you are able to receive.
• You have the right to live – you have the right to go to the cinema, restaurant, gym, meet friends, get married. The tragedies of others should be noticed, be empathetic, and at the same time they must not lead to the fact that you take away from yourself what is important to you. Of course, everyone decides what is the limit for them – the limit of good taste, ethics, and personal taste. You make up your mind, and at the same time remember that even if you devote yourself a lot to others, you have the right to live, you have the right to distance yourself, to catch your breath.
• You have the right to work – some people accuse Internet users of advertising their products or services while others suffer.

It’s like walking up to a lady in a supermarket and saying: How can you work here when people are dying in Ukraine?

Or to write to Netflix: Why is your site up and running and you have a comedy section on it while there’s war on?

People and companies support themselves, their families, employees and their families. Tragedies must not lead to the fact that we stop working for a few months or years. We have the right to take care of our job, company, business, otherwise everything will turn upside down.

And how to take care of loved ones? How to take care of the refugees with whom we have contact? About this in the second part of Season 4 of Leadership Podcast Episode 4, which you can find on Spotify, iTunes, Google Podcast and on my website, as well as on my YouTube channel. Please feel free.

Such a thought, as part of Dębowski’s 6th column, “Yes,”. [#felietondebowskiego #takamysl]

At the same time, I invite you to share in the comment how you care for yourself, your relatives and neighbors from Ukraine.