Your briefing from CMHA is ready.
Running for municipal office means you'll spend the next three months answering hundreds of questions about mental health, addictions and homelessness. Some you'll expect, some you won't.
So this election, we'll make sure you're prepared.
The Big Picture
A municipal campaign runs on evenings, weekends and doorsteps for months at a stretch. Candidates who last the whole race tend to be the ones who protect a little bit of routine, not the ones who push hardest in week one.
Questions you’re likely to hear
- How are you holding up?
- Are you getting any time off before the vote?
- How do you deal with the tough conversations at the door?
What the evidence says
Research on high-stress, public-facing roles points to the same short list of protective habits: consistent sleep, at least one recovery day a week, and a small circle to debrief with after hard interactions.
What you can do this week
- Block one evening a week that isn’t campaign-related, and treat it like any other commitment.
- Debrief a hard doorstep conversation with someone same-day, rather than carrying it home.
- Keep one pre-campaign routine a walk, a workout, a meal with someone untouched.
A tip from the field
Candidates who’ve been through a full campaign cycle before often say the debrief habit mattered more than the day off.
The Big Picture
A municipal campaign runs on evenings, weekends and doorsteps for months at a stretch. Candidates who last the whole race tend to be the ones who protect a little bit of routine, not the ones who push hardest in week one.
Questions you’re likely to hear
- How are you holding up?
- Are you getting any time off before the vote?
- How do you deal with the tough conversations at the door?
What the evidence says
Research on high-stress, public-facing roles points to the same short list of protective habits: consistent sleep, at least one recovery day a week, and a small circle to debrief with after hard interactions.
What you can do this week
- Block one evening a week that isn’t campaign-related, and treat it like any other commitment.
- Debrief a hard doorstep conversation with someone same-day, rather than carrying it home.
- Keep one pre-campaign routine a walk, a workout, a meal with someone untouched.
A tip from the field
Candidates who’ve been through a full campaign cycle before often say the debrief habit mattered more than the day off.
The Big Picture
A municipal campaign runs on evenings, weekends and doorsteps for months at a stretch. Candidates who last the whole race tend to be the ones who protect a little bit of routine, not the ones who push hardest in week one.
Questions you’re likely to hear
- How are you holding up?
- Are you getting any time off before the vote?
- How do you deal with the tough conversations at the door?
What the evidence says
Research on high-stress, public-facing roles points to the same short list of protective habits: consistent sleep, at least one recovery day a week, and a small circle to debrief with after hard interactions.
What you can do this week
- Block one evening a week that isn’t campaign-related, and treat it like any other commitment.
- Debrief a hard doorstep conversation with someone same-day, rather than carrying it home.
- Keep one pre-campaign routine a walk, a workout, a meal with someone untouched.
A tip from the field
Candidates who’ve been through a full campaign cycle before often say the debrief habit mattered more than the day off.
The Big Picture
A municipal campaign runs on evenings, weekends and doorsteps for months at a stretch. Candidates who last the whole race tend to be the ones who protect a little bit of routine, not the ones who push hardest in week one.
Questions you’re likely to hear
- How are you holding up?
- Are you getting any time off before the vote?
- How do you deal with the tough conversations at the door?
What the evidence says
Research on high-stress, public-facing roles points to the same short list of protective habits: consistent sleep, at least one recovery day a week, and a small circle to debrief with after hard interactions.
What you can do this week
- Block one evening a week that isn’t campaign-related, and treat it like any other commitment.
- Debrief a hard doorstep conversation with someone same-day, rather than carrying it home.
- Keep one pre-campaign routine a walk, a workout, a meal with someone untouched.
A tip from the field
Candidates who’ve been through a full campaign cycle before often say the debrief habit mattered more than the day off.
The Big Picture
A municipal campaign runs on evenings, weekends and doorsteps for months at a stretch. Candidates who last the whole race tend to be the ones who protect a little bit of routine, not the ones who push hardest in week one.
Questions you’re likely to hear
- How are you holding up?
- Are you getting any time off before the vote?
- How do you deal with the tough conversations at the door?
What the evidence says
Research on high-stress, public-facing roles points to the same short list of protective habits: consistent sleep, at least one recovery day a week, and a small circle to debrief with after hard interactions.
What you can do this week
- Block one evening a week that isn’t campaign-related, and treat it like any other commitment.
- Debrief a hard doorstep conversation with someone same-day, rather than carrying it home.
- Keep one pre-campaign routine a walk, a workout, a meal with someone untouched.
A tip from the field
Candidates who’ve been through a full campaign cycle before often say the debrief habit mattered more than the day off.
The Big Picture
A municipal campaign runs on evenings, weekends and doorsteps for months at a stretch. Candidates who last the whole race tend to be the ones who protect a little bit of routine, not the ones who push hardest in week one.
Questions you’re likely to hear
- How are you holding up?
- Are you getting any time off before the vote?
- How do you deal with the tough conversations at the door?
What the evidence says
Research on high-stress, public-facing roles points to the same short list of protective habits: consistent sleep, at least one recovery day a week, and a small circle to debrief with after hard interactions.
What you can do this week
- Block one evening a week that isn’t campaign-related, and treat it like any other commitment.
- Debrief a hard doorstep conversation with someone same-day, rather than carrying it home.
- Keep one pre-campaign routine a walk, a workout, a meal with someone untouched.
A tip from the field
Candidates who’ve been through a full campaign cycle before often say the debrief habit mattered more than the day off.
The Big Picture
A municipal campaign runs on evenings, weekends and doorsteps for months at a stretch. Candidates who last the whole race tend to be the ones who protect a little bit of routine, not the ones who push hardest in week one.
Questions you’re likely to hear
- How are you holding up?
- Are you getting any time off before the vote?
- How do you deal with the tough conversations at the door?
What the evidence says
Research on high-stress, public-facing roles points to the same short list of protective habits: consistent sleep, at least one recovery day a week, and a small circle to debrief with after hard interactions.
What you can do this week
- Block one evening a week that isn’t campaign-related, and treat it like any other commitment.
- Debrief a hard doorstep conversation with someone same-day, rather than carrying it home.
- Keep one pre-campaign routine a walk, a workout, a meal with someone untouched.
A tip from the field
Candidates who’ve been through a full campaign cycle before often say the debrief habit mattered more than the day off.
The Big Picture
A municipal campaign runs on evenings, weekends and doorsteps for months at a stretch. Candidates who last the whole race tend to be the ones who protect a little bit of routine, not the ones who push hardest in week one.
Questions you’re likely to hear
- How are you holding up?
- Are you getting any time off before the vote?
- How do you deal with the tough conversations at the door?
What the evidence says
Research on high-stress, public-facing roles points to the same short list of protective habits: consistent sleep, at least one recovery day a week, and a small circle to debrief with after hard interactions.
What you can do this week
- Block one evening a week that isn’t campaign-related, and treat it like any other commitment.
- Debrief a hard doorstep conversation with someone same-day, rather than carrying it home.
- Keep one pre-campaign routine a walk, a workout, a meal with someone untouched.
A tip from the field
Candidates who’ve been through a full campaign cycle before often say the debrief habit mattered more than the day off.
Get it in your inbox before Monday.
Fact Sheets
Download practical resources on the issues shaping Ontario's municipal election.
SELF-CARE ON THE TRAIL
HOUSING & HOMELESSNESS
COMMUNITY SAFETY
MENTAL HEALTH
Questions about a briefing, or something to add?
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