[Massplanners] Planner Burnout

[roberta cameron]

What an exemplary plannerly response to the concern:
1) Identify the problem
2) Collect stakeholder input
3) Tailor a strategy to the specific context at hand
4) Synthesize the result of your input-gathering and application, and
report back.
There's a reason some of us just fall into this lifestyle, whether by
intention, or because it's just the way we roll.

*Roberta Cameron, AICP*

*Community Preservation Act Manager*

Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development

City of Somerville

rcameron at somervillema.gov <lmorton at somervillema.gov> • 617-791-7283



On Mon, Mar 7, 2022 at 11:28 AM Mariah Kurtz via MassPlanners <
massplanners at masscptc.org> wrote:

> I have so much gratitude to everyone who reached out - phone calls,
> emails, and a kind local colleague who took me out to lunch on Friday. I
> went into our Special Town Meeting feeling much more confident and less
> stressed out than I would have without all of the kind words. I had two
> zoning amendments being proposed - one which would create a Planned Unit
> Development overlay district and one which would update the zoning map with
> district boundary adjustments. After a long discussion, the PUD lost the
> 2/3 vote required by 1 vote. But the map was approved unanimously and no
> one cussed me out, so I'll take the win.
>
> It's clear from the deluge of responses I received that most, if not all,
> planners struggle with feeling overworked and underappreciated. In some
> ways that's comforting (I'm not alone!) and in other ways that's
> disconcerting for our profession. I hope that we're all able to take care
> of ourselves, but I also wonder what changes or support we need to advocate
> for to keep our work sustainable.
>
> I've tried to condense the advice I got from folks for you all to consider
> as well:
>
>    - Take care of your basic needs: get enough sleep, drink water, eat
>    well
>    - Take breaks and go outside. We need sunshine and fresh air.
>    - Create flexibility in your schedule. If you have night meetings,
>    don't come in at your usual time. Communicate your schedule clearly to your
>    non-night meeting coworkers who may not understand why you're coming in
>    "late"
>    - Say no to things and take things off of your plate rather than just
>    trying to constantly be more efficient with an ever-growing pile of work.
>    - Connect with other planners more casually, without a constant
>    webinar or meeting. Get lunch, have a call just to catch up.
>    - Remember that our force of good in our communities is not dependent
>    on one project. The overall effect is still good.
>    - Remember that the Town will still be ok even without one particular
>    initiative or project. Life goes on and it will be ok.
>    - Remember that there is always more to do than we can do. Pace
>    yourself.
>    - Remember that you are not a public servant, but a public professional
>    - Find the little wins and celebrate them.
>    - Connect with people in your community outside of contentious topics
>    or long public hearings.
>    - Spend a bit of time after a meeting to take notes, finish paperwork,
>    or otherwise prepare yourself for an easier day tomorrow.
>    - Have an activity or routine to do right after work to switch
>    yourself out of work mode. A walk around the block, preparing a snack, a 5
>    minute meditation, hang out with a pet, etc. Pay attention to your
>    achievements outside of work too.
>    - Don't put Town email on your phone, or if you do, at least turn off
>    the notifications
>    - Leave your job if you need to for your sanity. Your whole life
>    shouldn't be your work and if folks in your Town are expecting that of you,
>    move on to a new Town.
>    - It's ok to get frustrated, but don't dwell on it. Feel it and let it
>    pass, then keep moving forward.
>    - Build your group of allies and your network and ask for support when
>    you need it
>    - Advocate for your ability to work flexible hours and work from home.
>    - And lastly, a tip from me which I tested out this weekend and now
>    comes highly recommended: schedule a massage for after town meeting.
>
> So many of you reached out and I'd love to connect with you all but it's
> going to take me a while to sift through emails. Be well and take care of
> yourselves.
>
>
> Mariah Kurtz (she/her)
>
> Assistant Town Planner
>
>
>
> *Town of Erving*
>
> 12 East Main Street
>
> Erving, Massachusetts 01344
>
> Phone: (413) 422-2800 ext. 1108 |  Online: www.Erving-Ma.gov
> <http://www.erving-ma.gov/>  | Facebook: Town of Erving
> <https://www.facebook.com/townoferving>
>
> When writing or responding, please remember that the Secretary of State
> has determined that email is a public record, is subject to the Public
> Records Law, M.G.L. c. 66, § 10, and covered by Electronic Communications
> Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2521. This communication may contain
> privileged or other confidential information. If you are not the intended
> recipient or believe that you have received the communication in error, you
> are strictly prohibited from printing, copying, distributing,
> disseminating, or otherwise using this communication.
> ------------------------------
> *From:* MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org> on behalf of
> Mariah Kurtz via MassPlanners <massplanners at masscptc.org>
> *Sent:* Friday, March 4, 2022 10:17 AM
> *To:* Massachusetts Planners <massplanners at masscptc.org>
> *Subject:* [EXTERNAL][Massplanners] Planner Burnout
>
> Happy Friday y'all.
>
> This is a much less technical question than most here, but it's what our
> little Town is struggling with at this moment.
>
> I write this 24 hours away from a Special Town Meeting where two zoning
> articles will be voted on. The situation has devolved into widespread
> misinformation and personal attacks on public officials over this. I have
> my slideshow, jumbo foam-core map, and beloved anxiety meds prepared, but
> more conceptually, how do you stay motivated when things like this happen
> and keep yourself from totally burning out?
>
> I'm a relatively young planner and I understand that the nature of public
> work means not everything I work on will move forward, but our team here is
> exhausted. Several of us have been teetering on the edge of burn out for
> months. Luckily our Select Board (and some kind-hearted, informed
> residents) have been supportive of us taking a step back to evaluate our
> capacity for new projects. I've created a master project list which plans
> out 3-5 years. We're deciding which grants to apply for a year ahead to
> prepare ourselves. But it seems like every time we plan to take a breather
> something new happens: a flood washes out a bridge and three roads,
> construction can't be finished due to supply chain issues, a new wave of
> COVID hits, or we only have one plow driver available during a snow storm.
> I was only a Planner for 6 months before the pandemic hit so I feel like
> I've jumped into this career on hard mode. My light at the end of the
> tunnel is a public art project set to be installed in July and I'm hesitant
> to even look forward to that because I feel like something will go wrong.
>
> I imagine that all of us are dealing with these struggles in some fashion,
> so what tools do you and your team use to cope with these hurdles short
> term and prevent burn out long term?
>
> Mariah Kurtz (she/her)
>
> Assistant Town Planner
>
>
>
> *Town of Erving*
>
> 12 East Main Street
>
> Erving, Massachusetts 01344
>
> Phone: (413) 422-2800 ext. 1108 |  Online: www.Erving-Ma.gov
> <http://www.erving-ma.gov/>  | Facebook: Town of Erving
> <https://www.facebook.com/townoferving>
>
> When writing or responding, please remember that the Secretary of State
> has determined that email is a public record, is subject to the Public
> Records Law, M.G.L. c. 66, § 10, and covered by Electronic Communications
> Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2521. This communication may contain
> privileged or other confidential information. If you are not the intended
> recipient or believe that you have received the communication in error, you
> are strictly prohibited from printing, copying, distributing,
> disseminating, or otherwise using this communication.
> When writing or responding, please remember that the Secretary of State
> has determined that email is a public record, is subject to the Public
> Records Law, M.G.L. c. 66, § 10, and covered by Electronic Communications
> Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2521. This communication may contain
> privileged or other confidential information. If you are not the intended
> recipient or believe that you have received the communication in error, you
> are strictly prohibited from printing, copying, distributing,
> disseminating, or otherwise using this communication. When writing or
> responding, please remember that the Secretary of State has determined that
> email is a public record, is subject to the Public Records Law, M.G.L. c.
> 66, § 10, and covered by Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C.
> §§ 2510-2521. This communication may contain privileged or other
> confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient or believe
> that you have received the communication in error, you are strictly
> prohibited from printing, copying, distributing, disseminating, or
> otherwise using this communication.
> When writing or responding, please remember that the Secretary of State
> has determined that email is a public record, is subject to the Public
> Records Law, M.G.L. c. 66, § 10, and covered by Electronic Communications
> Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2521. This communication may contain
> privileged or other confidential information. If you are not the intended
> recipient or believe that you have received the communication in error, you
> are strictly prohibited from printing, copying, distributing,
> disseminating, or otherwise using this communication.
> --
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> MassPlanners at masscptc.org
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>
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