Scenario: A friend and fellow aid worker based in Sudan sends me a link to a website that runs an online course on Essential Principles of Staff Care 

Me: Have you done it?

Her: Of course not. I am too busy to take care of myself. But I know in principle that I should do it.

Me: Can I use this surreal conversation as material for one of my articles?

Her: You can absolutely use it :) I was half joking but yes actually it really does reflect the reality more than I would wish.

I think this genuine exchange speaks for itself and I don’t even need to write (yet) another article on aid workers’ burnout. My latest on Devex asks whether burnout is part of your job description. I do wonder.

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(The above email exchange is used with the author’s permission)