Well-Being

Awareness

Notice the internal signs that your level of engagement may be dwindling, or you are distracted:

• Notice if you feel unsettled and are having trouble concentrating. 
• Notice if you feel yourself being irritable, anxious, sleepy, or spacey. 
• Notice if you are ruminating (getting stuck on an idea/element of the content presented), projecting (ascribing your own feelings/experiences onto others); feeling the abrupt need to leave or isolate; feeling excessive anger or criticism towards the conference, the presenters, organizers/staff or fellow participants. It is helpful to assess whether the intensity of your response feels understandable/appropriate to the circumstances or if the discussion/material presented may be triggering a more personal experience of stress/distress.
• Notice if you find yourself doing some of your common self-soothing activities more frequently (e.g., fidgeting, doodling). This may also indicate that you are experiencing stress/distress without you even consciously noticing. 
• Notice physical and emotional responses that may occur outside of the conference hours that may include those listed above or others (trouble sleeping, changes in eating patterns, etc.)

Balance

Give yourself permission to balance participation in the conference and other needs that may arise. Suggestions that you might find helpful to maintain your energy level, stay engaged, and feel more settled during the conference:

• Take time to settle comfortably (optimize your personal space as much as possible).
• Take mini breaks.
• Keep yourself hydrated and eating well before and while participating in the daily events. 
• Engage in movement of any kind – standing, stretching, relocating, etc. 
• Limit continuous stimulus. 
• Grounding exercises which are a great way to regain focus, and put your mind in an aware and receptive state (e.g., 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things that you can hear, 2 things that you can smell, 1 thing you can touch). 
• Self-care e.g., baths, self-reflection, yoga, meditation, music, make space for laughter and fun.

Connection

• Reflect on and set up a plan to get support from other conference colleagues, friends and family as needed. Depending on levels of stress/distress and their duration, explore the option of formal support from a mental health professional. 

We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all attendees. If you require accommodations to fully participate in the conference or have specific accessibility concerns, please contact operations@evaluationcanada.ca. 

Lastly, should you have a Code of Conduct concern during a C2024 session, you can talk with the host/facilitator or a conference volunteer, or email us at operations@evaluationcanada.ca. Our Code of Conduct lead is monitoring this email address throughout the conference.