Onward and Inward

Here is a fascinating survey by Poynter on “work-life balance” for journalists.
And here are some of the key answers by reporters:

Always work more than 40 hours a week: 65.1 percent of respondents
Did not take all the vacation they had coming in the past year: 46.2 percent
Organizations cut staff in the past two years: 67.2 percent
Staff shortages negatively affect their work-life balance "consistently" or "frequently": 50.9 percent
Have seriously considered leaving journalism: 47.2 percent

And here is a heartening/disheartening statement from it:

“It appears the journalists and media leaders represented in our survey may see themselves as upholding the quality of a profession they care about, but the weight of that commitment is wearing on too many of them.”

I was often told by profs in journalism school that I should consider partnering with an ER doctor because they are the only types who could understand the stress. Hahaha. (Another fascinating piece of advice on how to support ourselves monetarily as our careers moved forward was that we should either write a book that gets made into a movie—which this male prof had done quite successfully—or marry rich.)

For those of you who do not work in this industry, enjoy your day. For those of you who do…um…enjoy this survey.

[Later, I read this, about dealing with doing emotional interviews.]

From a woman named Mary Pitman, a former nurse who works as a freelance writer in Georgia:

“My 24 years as a nurse has been absolutely invaluable in these situations. Working in the ER is similar to journalism. You have contact with people during the worst time of their life. A husband with no history of heart disease drops dead. A husband and wife are killed in a car wreck. We are left with the survivors.

”I've learned to distance myself from the situation and still be sensitive. I can't do my job if I get wrapped up in the emotions. It's the same line I have to walk in journalism. I have to remain objective and yet acknowledge that the people in front of me are in pain. I just can't let it become my pain.

”I really believe every journalist who is faced with these types of interviews should familiarize themselves with Elizabeth Kubler-Ross's "Death and Dying." She explains the five stages of dying/grief. It's given me a great understanding of what's behind the emotions of the people I interview.”