Why self-care is important during this second pandemic Ramadan

The month of Ramadan, which Muslims consider the holiest month of the Islamic lunar calendar, starts Tuesday. And for the second year in a row, it will be observed during lockdown for thousands of Muslim families in Ontario.

Fasting from dawn to dusk for 30 days is no easy feat in normal times, and after a year of stay-at-home orders, stress and increased isolation, I suspect it will be an even bigger physical and mental challenge for many of us.

Like people from other communities, Muslims — including me, an immigrant mother who has been unable to see family abroad for more than two years thanks to COVID-19 — are feeling the pandemic fatigue.

That’s why this year I believe we have to go easier on ourselves and practise more self-care during Ramadan.

Like last year, some of the joyful aspects of the holy month will not be an option because of the lockdown.

For example, in addition to bringing us closer to God through worship, Ramadan is a time that normally brings Muslims closer together — we gather frequently with family and friends for iftar (the evening meal when the fast is broken), spend some nights praying at the mosque with the local community, and focus on helping others in need.

This sense of togetherness motivates us spiritually and also helps us collectively to keep going, and it’s not quite the same doing these things at home or virtually.

The Burlington-based Muslim charity I work for, Islamic Relief Canada, understands that we need extra support during this time.

It recently organized a staff meeting with a local mosque leader and coach who guided us on ways to stay motivated during Ramadan.

One of the ideas he talked about was cultivating an optimistic solution-focused mindset; for example, while we may face many external challenges during a Ramadan in lockdown, we can recognize that it is temporary, and take action on the parts that we can control.

As a team, we did some collective brainstorming, after which our HR department decided that we will host a virtual staff iftar combined with a paint night, a flexible work schedule throughout the month (allowing time for rest while fasting), and the encouragement of open, non-judgmental communication between managers and staff about challenges.

As a former journalist who has often been the only Muslim in the newsroom, working for an organization that not only understands Ramadan, but also makes an active effort to make the month easier and feel special for its employees is such a refreshing change.

For employers with practising Muslim staff, such initiatives during Ramadan would be greatly appreciated.

But even if that’s not possible, introducing some of the more generic changes can go a long way in reducing pandemic burnout and helping employees, regardless of faith, feel supported.

From a personal standpoint, this Ramadan, I’ll be paying more attention to eating healthy and trying to get sufficient sleep since these factors directly affect mood.

I will also be trying to take it slow for the sake of my mental health. Of course, fasting, prayer and increased worship will remain a part of my goals for this month, but outside of that, I am not going to push myself.

Whether you observe Ramadan or not, I think we can all agree that we need to be mindful of the different challenges we are facing during this stage of the pandemic and make an effort to be kind to others, and ourselves.