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From August 28th to September 4th in 2023, if you emailed an employee at the National Partnership for Women & Families, you would receive the message above — a unified message indicating that the office was closed. In a move that was overwhelmingly appreciated by staff, President Jocelyn Frye announced during an All-Staff Meeting in May (Mental Health Awareness Month) that the office would be closed at the end of August. While The Partnership currently has an unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO) policy, a collective Care Week meant that employees could truly put down work obligations and focus on what was important to them. As one staff member noted, “it was helpful that everyone else was also offline, [I] didn’t have to come back to tons of missed emails, meetings, and tasks to catch up on.”

With Jocelyn’s strong urging, everyone was expected to prioritize their individual health and well-being, with a recognition that our respective needs are different, and different people will have different preferences as to what feels relaxing and therapeutic. In reflecting on Care Week, Jocelyn shared:

“We live in a society that, too often, views the need for care as a sign of weakness…a society which equates individual strength and fortitude with not asking for help. We tell people, especially women and people of color, that seeking support is the equivalent of seeking a handout — and that, instead, they should do everything on their own. The message sent, intended or otherwise, is that our personal health is a secondary concern.

We must push back on these kinds of attitudes. Even as we meet our responsibilities to care for our loved ones, we should set aside a minute or two — or more — just to focus on ourselves and what we each need in order to function, to be okay, and to thrive.

Given our organizational commitment to improve women’s lives, to tackle the unique barriers facing women of color and women with disabilities, and to promote gender inclusion and gender-inclusive practices, I believe it is important to be intentional about stressing the need for self-care for those least likely to have support…the very people who are often expected to put their own care last.”

During Care Week, our staff truly prioritized their rest and time based on their own needs. Here are some things our staff did with this time:

• Took and/or extended a vacation
• Booked a massage
• Caught up on housework (including redecorating!)
• Took care of animals recovering from surgery
• Took care of themselves after falling ill without worrying about falling behind in work

One of our staff members mentioned that they felt like they “finally had time to relax, reset, AND actually be able to do all the life chores and tasks that never stop.” Some of our colleagues caught up on “life admin” things, such as booking a therapy appointment – things that typically pile up and grow to be overwhelming on top of everyday responsibilities and commitments. Other staff mentioned that rather than packing the week with “productive” things, they wanted to listen to their body and spend each day doing what they needed in that specific moment. They conveyed the sentiment that this sort of rest and attending to your needs was crucial since “self care must be a daily practice”.

Following Care Week, employees reported feeling “refreshed and recharged” and praised this time off for “giving the gift of unfettered time.” Partners and stakeholders who received our out of office message often replied with well wishes of “Enjoy your Care Week!” and enthusiastically supported the concept.

In organizations like The Partnership that focus on addressing inequities facing marginalized groups, it’s especially important to examine the structures and systems that perpetuate these inequities. We recognize that we must normalize and prioritize rest and healing. Those who advocate for these types of structural changes also need space and support for their own recovery. By engaging in acts of restoration and rejuvenation, we can be at our best for ourselves and the communities that we serve.

Centuries of structural barriers to equity, such as systemic racism, has resulted in drastic economic limitations, multigenerational trauma, and health inequities — these factors have all contributed to severe psychological stress, especially in BIPOC communities. Such immense psychological stress, grief, and desire for healing means that it’s vital to focus on rest and recovery. Dedicated time for self-care like Care Week helps to shift the narrative that rest is a reward for productivity. Rest is both essential and a right for all. While Care Week is not the only thing needed to create a healthy work environment, we are proud to support and be part of an organizational culture that helps our staff be the best versions of themselves professionally and personally, individually and collectively.

***We have kept all quotes anonymous in order to highlight common themes amongst our staff experiences.