Find Your Balance

INSIGHTS FROM OUR CEO

Public safety professionals have some of the most demanding jobs. It can be challenging to walk away at the end of the day, which can strain individuals’ homelife. While these roles are demanding, it is crucial to prioritize personal time. Learning to step away from work tasks can improve your productivity while you’re there.  

Learn to prioritize
If you try to do everything, you will never accomplish anything. Pick your priorities, and stick to them. You will find that you’re more successful when you have a manageable workload rather than overexerting yourself. When calls or emails occur at home, create a list of things that need to be done and put them into categories. Labels like “urgent and important,” “important but not urgent,” and “neither urgent nor important” can help you maximize time and be more productive.

Write it down
As a public safety professional, workdays are intense, and events can be ever so present even after the day is over. While you may want to suppress the experiences, writing out your thoughts can help with a mental release. Some events may linger and cause ongoing stress and anxiety. Keeping a journal is a powerful tool to let out emotions that you may not wish to share with loved ones. A journal is also a great way to organize your thoughts if you seek help from a mental health professional.  

Use your support system
It’s important to have friends within the organization and those not in the public safety profession; including hobbies that aren’t related to your job that you can enjoy with family and friends. Making time with your public safety friends outside of work is also important, and it allows you time to talk about non-work-related topics.  

Blow off steam
It is a proven fact that exercise is one of the best ways to reduce stress while still feeling productive. Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore; find an activity that you genuinely enjoy. Walking, biking, dancing, swimming, and skating are all fun ways to let out your frustrations before you get home. Learning new activities, like yoga and kickboxing, can help completely immerse yourself in something that isn’t job-related. 

There is no such thing as the perfect work-life balance, so it’s important to determine the ideal balance for you, your family, and your lifestyle. Having clear boundaries between home and work can help alleviate symptoms of stress, anxiety, and burnout. At first, it may be difficult to differentiate your personal and professional lives, but you’ll begin to see some positive changes over time. 

 

Elizabeth Morris, M.A.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

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Phone: 336-761-0764 ext. 1011

Email: elizabeth@fmrt.org 

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