Work/life balance for Police

Transcription

1 Work/life balance for Police A GUIDE TO GOAL SETTING, TIME MANAGEMENT & HEALTHY HABITS

2 Contents 3 How to not only survive, but thrive 4 The importance of setting goals 5 You have more time than you think 6 The power of habits 7 Tools to put it all into practice 8 Take control 9 Printable templates - Time Management Calendar & Habit Tracker Police Health Limited ABN A registered, not-for-profit, restricted access private health insurer first established in Please note the information in this resource has been compiled from material obtained externally. Although we make every effort to ensure information is correct at the time of publication, we accept no responsibility for its accuracy. Health-related articles are intended for general information only and should not be interpreted as medical advice. Please consult your doctor. The views expressed in this resource are not necessarily those of Police Health. By accessing this resource you acknowledge that you have read and unreservedly accept these Terms & Conditions. Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Copyright Police Health Limited. Registered Private Health Insurer, ABN

3 How to not only survive, but thrive We work to live - but too often it can feel like we have this in reverse. This especially rings true for police officers. The job can demand so much of us that our personal lives suffer. There s an imbalance. It s like a seesaw. Work is on one side and our personal life is on the other, but it s just too heavy on the work end. We can put this down to something called hyper-vigilance. Health Central defines hyper-vigilance as the process of rapidly scanning a situation, which then narrows to a highly focused level of attention if a potential threat is spotted. Hyper-vigilance is a state of increased physical and psychological arousal. The sweats, an increased heart rate and rapid breathing. Through necessity, Police officers remain in this state of heightened awareness and attentiveness for extended lengths of time while on the job. There are huge benefits, both mentally and physically, when we find the time to look after ourselves. This prolonged mental and physical exertion leads to a crash once off duty and in an environment where we feel we can relax. So instead of using personal time to do things that feed the soul or contribute to our overall health and wellbeing, it can be all too easy to just do nothing. This is how our work/life balance gets so heavily weighted towards work. Fortunately we have the power to intervene with this process and tip the scales back in our favour. Dr Gilmartin, author of Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement, is an advocate of arming police officers to become emotional survivors in order to combat the biological rollercoaster that hyper-vigilance puts us on. It takes work and dedication to overcome the anger and disillusionment that can creep up on us after years seeing everything as a potential threat, but Dr Gilmartin believes that the initial enthusiasm and motivation we have when we enter the service can remain. Provided officers understand, and practice, emotional survival. The key to emotional survival is understanding what you can and can t control, and acting accordingly. We can t always control what happens to us on the job, but we can take full control of how we spend our own time. Exercising, eating right, getting health check-ups, socialising and spending time on our own has huge pay offs. That yearly dentist visit. Seeing your physio. Chatting to a psychologist. All of these things matter and help you take control of your wellbeing, not just your career. The great thing is, having a fulfilling and healthy personal life will help you excel in your job too so it s a win win. Taking control of your personal life seems like such a simple thing. But we put it off. We put others first. We put our jobs first. No more. Once you start living life on your terms, you ll feel a true sense of purpose and fulfillment, and it all starts with goal setting, time management and developing healthy habits. 3

4 The importance of setting goals For police officers, work life and personal life tend to blur together. Sometimes it s hard to distinguish between the two. There s no 9-5 or 40-hour work week. While your friends are enjoying after work drinks, you re working. And when you do have time off, your friends are working or you re tired. You opt to sit in front of the TV. You re secluded and life is structured. There s a loss of spontaneity. Setting goals is absolutely crucial for officers. You ve got to hold yourself accountable to more than just your badge. Having a clear set of goals gives you direction, purpose and, therefore, control. It s great for your health, too. Decide what you want to achieve in your life Take work out of the equation for a moment. That ll come as a result of looking after yourself first. It s about finding the right balance. A lot of us, not just police officers, forget to have goals in our personal life. Goal setting helps us live life in our own way. There s value in this exercise, even if you don t tick off every goal. The simple action of dedicating time to explore what we want from life is reason enough. A lot of us start the journey without having any real idea of our destination. Discover your ideal life and set yourself tasks to turn this vision into a reality. Setting goals and achieving them also helps build your self-confidence. Brainstorm the things that are important to you. Categorise them into different parts of your life so you can make sure that you have a balance. Examples of categories could be; Relationships Education Hobbies & art Physical Mental Pleasure Helping others Once you have this clear in your mind, you can start setting yourself goals. Mind Tools suggests setting your goals on a number of levels. First create big picture goals based on what you want to do with your life (or over, say, the next 10 years). Then, break these down into smaller targets that you must hit in order to reach your big picture goals. Think practically about what you need to do to be successful. Finally, once you have your plan, you can start working on achieving these targets and reaching your goals. Goals help you to become proactive with your personal life, not reactive. This is the first step toward reclaiming your time. 4

5 You have more time than you think Owning our time is a crucial part of feeling in control. Our life is simply made up of time. How will you spend yours? Dr Gilmartin talks about the importance of time management for police and their families. The ability to control activities, priorities and schedules is another key component of emotional survival. As a police officer, even if you feel like the job takes away a lot of your freedom, you do have the ability to take control of your personal time. It just takes a little more effort than other people who don t work shifts, weekends, or public holidays. Developing a personal time management technique can help overcome what Dr Gilmartin refers to as a victim mentality referencing the fact that victims don t feel in control of their own lives. You can live each day of your life like you want to. It s just a matter of striking a balance between police officer, spouse, parent and friend. In his book, Dr Gilmartin talks about having a preplanned, written, personal calendar or agenda that lists goals, requirements and activities an officer wants to fit in in their personal time. Planning your personal time ahead of time is the best way to ensure the hyper-vigilant crash at the end of a shift or a long week at work doesn t stop you from getting off the lounge and doing something fulfilling in your free time. While it may sound simple, it s effective. We do have the time we just need to make it. Try your best not to act like a victim. Do this exercise every Sunday night, for the following week. Grab a pen and turn to the template we ve created on page 9 of this guide. You ll see seven columns (one for each day of the week). Block out the time you ll be on duty. You will see all the free time you ve still got available for personal pleasures. Now refer back to your goals list and schedule in time to focus on your goals. Try to do at least one task every week that gets you closer to each goal. For example, if you want to get fit and lose five kilograms, make sure you add 30 minutes of exercise in at least three or four times per week. If you want to improve your friendships, add one social outing to your week. Then, next time your window of free time comes up refer to your schedule and stick to it. You might not feel like doing the activity you pre-planned, but don t let the you that s at the bottom of the hyper-vigilant rollercoaster make that decision. Trust the decision you made when you had the time to plan. That s the key to taking back control. 5

6 The power of habits Your life is essentially the sum of your habits. How in shape you are, how happy you are, and how successful you are is a result of your habits. What you repeatedly do becomes who you are. It s empowering, when you really think about it. Although these things may start out as an effort, soon they ll become habit which is a great way to save time, particularly for time-poor, physically and emotionally drained police officers. Let s talk about how habits are formed. Once you understand your triggers and rewards, you have the power to swap an unhealthy habit for a healthy one. Habit formation Habits are basically behaviours that become automatic. If you instinctively walk to the kitchen to make a coffee every morning, you have a habit. Old habits are tough to break and new habits are just as hard to create. As humans, we re creatures of habit. The actions we repeat are etched into our neural pathways. They become as natural to us as breathing. The good news? We can create new habits through repetition. Try this three-step process 1 Reminder The trigger that initiates the behaviour 2 Routine The behaviour itself; the action you take 3 Reward The benefit you gain from doing the behaviour Let s break this down a bit more for you. Pick one small, positive habit Start small nothing longer than five minutes. Don t try to do multiple habits or do too much. Analyse your behaviours, pick a trigger, plan out how you ll overcome your obstacles, and pick the time of the day you ll complete the habit. Create a log for the habit, choose your rewards, and write down your motivations. Do the habit straight after the trigger, for at least a month. Set yourself reminders and never skip a day. Consistency is key. Enjoy it. Focus on all of the ways that will help you get more enjoyment out of the habit. If it s exercising, join a sport team or pair up with a workout buddy. Strength in numbers! See our Goal Tracking template on page

7 Tools to put it all into practice There are many free resources available to help you take control of your life, through goal setting and time management. Here are five of our favourite resources to help you achieve your goals. Goal Buddy Stay motivated with this online goal setting software. Lifetick A web based software that helps you set, track and achieve your goals. Wunderlist AnyDo Utilise this app s daily planner and reminder system. My Life Organised Manage your time by managing your tasks. If you love doing things the old way, there s always a simple diary or calendar. We ve created a template you may like to try (see page 9). Need help staying motivated? I know that all time is precious and therefore spend my time pursuing my dreams. I stay focused on the solution, not the problem. I always look for the next step. I choose to live a life that makes me happy and allows me to step into my full potential. Check out, Bmindful, Positive Thinking, ThinkUp or DOWNLOAD OUR LISA CURRY QUOTES & AFFIRMATIONS PACK 7

8 Take control As police officers, we have big responsibilities. And a lot of the time, we tend to carry a lot of this weight home with us. But it s important to understand it doesn t have to be this way. As officers, our health and relationships are the most important thing. Don t put your life on the backburner. The impact of stress and isolation, if not addressed, can lead to health issues and depression. Look at your goals as a blueprint to achieving a fulfilled life and your habits as the vehicle to get you there. Be clear on your values and what s important to you. Set goals and make a plan. Maintain a positive attitude, and most importantly, have fun. Your job, although a big part of your life, shouldn t prevent you from living. Never forget this. As a police officer it s important you look after yourself and enjoy your life. You can t serve the community if you re not taking care of yourself. Take control. Eat right, take holidays, see your doctor regularly, express your concerns at work, create a realistic exercise regime, and enjoy the little things in life. Every day is a new day. You make the choice to be proactive with you life, not reactive. Your relationships. Your health. Your finances. Your career. Your happiness never forget you re the key architect to designing your life. Taking control of your personal life starts with setting goals and making plans. But it doesn t stop there. The magic is in the action. Plans are nothing without action. You ll uncover possibilities that you may not have known even existed. Motivation is just around the corner, after action is taken. Taking action proves that you can do it. 8

9 Time Management Calendar MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN Book dentist appointment Visit dietitian Physio appointment 3:30-4:30pm 9

10 Habit Tracking HABIT M T W T F S S MY REWARD GOALS 10

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