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Finding time for climate action is hard. Why? Most of us are juggling work, life, and family to the point that we already feel burned out. And when we are stuck in this cycle of overwork, depleted of our emotional and mental resources, our brains literally can’t think beyond the day-to-day grind. How can we possibly grapple with an existential threat like the climate crisis when it’s hard enough to just figure out what to have for dinner?
But here’s the thing: the climate crisis and our burnout are inextricably linked. The current economic system is based on an extraction-at-all-costs mentality. That means it is designed to keep us busy, “in the grind”, and fractured from community. Busyness is what keeps the status quo in place and, in turn, how unsustainable big business continues to perpetuate itself.
So how do we make time to advocate for the climate when it feels like there is none? “The key is not waiting until there is a lull, but carving out the time for something that matters to us,” says Lydia Hascott, WorkforClimate’s Strategy and Capability Lead. “This perpetual state of busyness is a reflection of the system we are in, so we shouldn’t feel guilty about this,” she adds. “However, what is within our control is finding ways we can claim back some agency and power over your time as an act of resistance and a pathway to change.”
Here are three steps we can take to break the busyness cycle.
1. Reclaiming stolen time
By now we all know how hard Big Tech works to keep us scrolling and steal our focus. “The last thing we need is more guilt about being stuck on apps,” says Cameron Elliott, WorkforClimate’s Head of Learning. “But many of us have more time than we think, we just aren't making conscious choices about how we spend it. The choices are being made for us by tech companies who profit from distracting us.”
The average person spends 2.5 hours on social media every day, and it’s hard to change this through sheer will. “Willpower is a rapidly depleting resource,” says Cameron. “And the busyness and stress many employees deal with, depletes it even faster – you really don’t want to rely on willpower alone to protect your time and attention.”
But, we can wrestle some control back by asking: How can I set up my tech so that it’s working for me, rather than against me?
“I was trying to solve this problem in my own life recently, and I ended up downloading a program that turns your smartphone into a ‘dumbphone’ and locks you out of social media, browsers and other time-sucking apps,” says Cameron. There are dozens of these tools now available. Phone locks, app locks and timers you can set to kick you off your device when you reach an allotted time, declutter desktops, remove icons and hide browsers.
“There are powerful forces making a lot of money from keeping us distracted,” says Cameron. “But through a few simple steps and strategies you can wrestle back hours in your day to think about or do things that really matter to you.”
2. Finding a regular rhythm
You can’t go from zero to one hundred. Much like that long list of New Year’s resolutions we so often forget by February, overcommitting to action can set you up for failure. “A really great way to approach climate work is to get yourself in the headspace with a like-minded colleague or friend from work,” explains Lydia.
What might this look like? “Find an ally who is also trying to advocate for climate at work, and put a monthly call in the calendar where you check in with one another and share how you're going and what challenges you're facing – and then really prioritise that meeting,” says Lydia. “This is something we practise in the WorkforClimate Academy, where we encourage participants to meet up for guided conversations throughout the program. Graduates often refer back to how valuable this regular rhythm is to maintaining momentum and supporting one another.”
The idea here is to build in weekly or monthly ‘heartbeats’ that you can return to as a place to slow down, reflect and have space to think about the bigger picture.
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3. Slowing down to speed up
This can feel counterintuitive in the moment, but finding ways to nurture your own resilience so that you have the energy and capacity to take on climate action is really important. “This is all about breaking the cycle of busyness,” explains Lydia. “Find what it is that nurtures your physical, mental, social and emotional wellbeing and then prioritise that to help build resilience.”
This could be walks in nature, journaling, spending time with friends or meditation. Lydia likens this approach to a slingshot – that is, we need to take a step back to take a big leap forward. By making time for what nourishes us, we clear up space in our minds to face the work head on.
“It’s common to view these practices as separate to – or taking time away from – the work we’re pursuing,” says Lydia. “But slowing down is as much a part of the work as speeding up – it's what helps us to be ‘in’ it, by being connected with our wisest self and with the big picture.”
Want to make sustainability a part of your job and reclaim some time to think about climate solutions? The WorkforClimate Academy gives you the tools and space to take climate action in the workplace, no matter what your job title. Head here to register for the next cohort.
