## Looking After Yourself as an Officer Being an officer takes a toll. The emotional weight of representing students, some of whom are going through incredibly difficult times, is real. Long hours, high expectations, and public scrutiny compound it. ### Practical Self-Care - **Set boundaries early.** Decide your working hours and stick to them. The work will always expand to fill the time available - **Find your support network.** The CEO, your fellow officers, friends outside the SU. You need people you can be honest with - **Take your leave.** You have holiday entitlement. Use it. Not taking breaks doesn't make you a hero - it makes you less effective - **Exercise, sleep, eat properly.** The basics matter. When everything else is chaotic, these are your anchor - **Talk about how you're feeling.** If things are getting too much, say so. There's no shame in that. It's literally what we tell students to do - **Remember it's temporary.** This year will end. Make it count, but don't sacrifice your health for it ### The Resilience Trap There's a fine line between resilience and self-neglect. The [[The Stockdale paradox|Stockdale Paradox]] is about having faith while confronting reality. Apply that to yourself too. Have faith that you'll get through the hard patches, but be honest about what they cost you. If you need support, ask for it. The staff team, your fellow officers, and external services are there for a reason. ### See Also - [[Empathy]] - including self-empathy - [[Reflection]] - regular reflection helps you catch problems before they escalate - [[Imposter Syndrome in Officers]]