Journalists: Post election, take this moment to breathe

The alerts have stopped buzzing. The live shots have wrapped. The election graphics packages are archived. For the first time in what feels like years, there is stillness. No one is running for office. No panic over election results. Just quiet.

Take it. Embrace it. You’ve earned it.

You’ve pushed through exhaustion, death threats and the constant strain of maintaining objectivity under unprecedented pressure. You’ve fact-checked until your eyes burned, managed contentious live interviews and somehow kept your composure.

In January, Trump returns to the White House and a host of newly elected officials take office across the United States.

As Martin Baron, then editor of the Washington Post, noted during Donald Trump’s first term, “We’re not at war; we’re at work.” But now, journalists must be prepared to be both – at work covering the daily news with precision and proportion while ready to defend the constitutional principles that enable the profession’s very existence.

Election night may have surprised you… or it may have shocked you. In private communities of journalists and industry professionals, I’ve seen folks on the brink of crisis and those quietly excited for what comes next. Those needing time to reflect and those recommitted to their profession–even if it continues to come under attack. 

Whether this news fills you with dread or relief isn’t relevant to what comes next. Your mission remains the same: to report the facts, tell the truth and serve your community.

But before you dive back in, let’s acknowledge the human cost. The weight of covering this election has left marks in relationships, mental health and even your sense of security. 

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Use this brief interlude wisely.

Step away from social media. Close the news apps. Spend time with family who’ve seen too little of you. Remember what it feels like to have a conversation that doesn’t revolve around polling data or legal challenges.

Then, when you’re ready, it’s time to move forward; remember your commitment to journalism and to covering your community. 

Your political views don’t matter here. What matters is your commitment to the craft. Some of the best reporting comes from journalists covering politicians they oppose, just as some of our worst comes from those too comfortable with their subjects.

The industry needs clear heads and steady hands. The industry will face accusations of bias from all sides. The trick isn’t to grow a thicker skin – it’s to maintain professional standards while acknowledging our human reactions.

Most crucially, you must develop what Dick Tofel, a veteran journalist, called “steely prudence” – the ability to distinguish between policies you may disagree with and genuine threats to press freedom. Not every controversial decision is a constitutional crisis. But when real threats to fundamental liberties emerge, you must be ready to recognize and respond to them with clarity and courage.

The stories ahead may test you. They’ll require precision when you’re tired, fairness when you’re frustrated and clarity when everything seems murky. You’ll cover policies that some oppose and others support. Through it all, professional obligations remain constant.

But right now, in this moment, breathe.

The next chapter of American history needs clear-eyed journalists ready to document it accurately, fairly and thoroughly. That starts with taking care of yourself.

The news cycle never truly stops. But you can. You should. Even if just for a moment.

Then you’ll be ready to do what we’ve always done: Return to your desks, pick up your cameras, open your notebook and report the story – whatever it may be.

That’s what the public needs now more than ever. Because this is who you are, and this is what you do.

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