Burnout

This morning I read Dr. Travis Bradberry's article titled "Signs You're Burning Out (And How To Stop It)" which is very relevant to me at this time because I have been experiencing symptoms of burnout and been focusing on stopping it.  The article is well written and applicable to absolutely anyone as it also discusses how to avoid burnout.

I whole heartedly agree with Dr. Bradberry when he talks about scheduling relaxation.  Our bodies and minds need that down time.  My mornings are focused on just that.  I get up early so that I can exercise and then have time for just me to read a book, listen to music, write, or just sit and enjoy a leisurely breakfast.

I have also been trying to take more breaks at work.  I have the tendency to work right through lunch and breaks.   I recently purchased a Fitbit and so have set alarms for 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to remind me to get up and stretch.  I usually try to find an empty conference room and do some yoga poses.  I am also trying to get out and walk during my lunch break at least a couple of times a week.

Focusing on the above mentioned things has already improved my feelings of burnout.  But it is not enough.  I deal with chronic pain and it is a tough cycle to break.  Stress increases my pain.  Increased pain adds to me stress.

Fortunately, I work for a firm that appreciates what I do, values my contributions, and understands.  All of that can go a long way towards beating burnout.

Put your cell phone away

It seems that those in my generation and younger are tied to their phones.  Many even take them to the bathroom!  (I don't want to know what you would need to do on your phone while in the bathroom.)

Let me give you a very valuable piece of advice - When you are at work, put your phones away!  Unless your mother is in the hospital or your wife is due to have a baby, they don't belong on your desk and you shouldn't constantly be on them at work.  Leave them in your purse, coat pocket, car, etc. and only pull them out when on break.

Why, you ask?

1. It looks terrible to your supervisor who is noticing how often you interrupt your work to check your phone.
2. It effects your efficiency and productivity which your supervisor is noticing.
3. It likely will affect your job security.
4. It likely will affect your ability to get good references when you choose to move on to a new position.
5. And it's just not good to your mental health to be so dependent on it.

Christmas

I love Christmas!  The smell of the evergreens that just make me stop for a moment, the lights, the carols, the crunch of snow beneath my boots, spending time with family, and finding that perfect gift.  And it follows another wonderful holiday, Thanksgiving.  It is so easy though to get caught up in the superficial, completely missing the peace that this time of year brings.

So stop.  Take a moment to smell the evergreen and appreciate those who mean so much to you and who make this time of year special.

Change

The person most affected by change is the one who lets it affect them.  I will refuse to allow it to negatively affect me.

“…improve the simple, and the complication often diminishes.”

I have been working with Lisa McNeil at the Wisconsin Wellness Clinic for a couple of months now and she has been very helpful to me.  I also enjoy her blog posts.  Today’s post especially hit home with me and is something that I think can be applied to many different areas of our lives.  I’ll let you read about it here.

Change is good

Change can be very difficult as we find comfort in the routine.  And in those moments of change it can be very difficult to remember that change is an important part of our lives and can bring great things.  I write this blog post in anticipation of the things to come.  On Monday, I start a new job.  I will be working as a legal assistant for a small law firm that focuses primarily on family law but handles a variety of other types of cases as well.  I'm excited about working for this firm especially because the attorneys seem to be very focused on clients and doing what is just and right for the children.  Plus you can't beat the commute.  I will be saving 6.5 hours a week alone in commuting.  The commuting never bothered me before but now I wonder what I could have been doing in those 6.5 hours each week.

I imagine the topics of my posts may change some as I am not in the trenches of the domestic violence world (although I recognize domestic violence and family law overlap significantly) but we shall see.

In these last few days, I'm looking forward to enjoying my time now that I have found a job.  I have been immersing myself in poetry much of today and look forward to writing some more of my own poetry over the next few days.

Salon Shooting in Brookfield

There has been much to reflect on the last few weeks and absolutely no time to reflect so I hope that in the next weeks, I will have a number of blog posts to share with you.  Today though I feel the need to address the Salon Shooting in Brookfield, WI.

Like many, I poured over articles and searched for fingers to point, for ways the system failed this woman.  But then I was reminded of the lack of value in should statements.  If there is one thing that we, as advocates, law enforcement, court personnel, and most importantly as community members take from this it is that our work is not done.  I cannot control what someone else does and fretting over it does nothing but infuriate me.  I CAN control what I am doing for victims, survivors, friends, family members, neighbors, colleagues, etc.

So I encourage each one of us (myself included) to refocus our energies on the work we can do and the differences we make in others' lives.  And my thoughts go out to all of those affected by violence.

It's amazing how much more at peace I feel after one of the most stressful days by spending my drive home refocusing my energy and drafting this blog post in my head.  Now it is time to crawl in bed with a good book.

Self-care weekend

If you love nature and enjoy camping, you should give this a try:  go camping all by yourself.  Just you, the birds, and stars.  That is where I spent my weekend. and it was well worth it.  It gave me a chance to truly relax, unplug from society's distractions, and rejuvenate.  I spent time writing, bird watching, walking the trails and along the shore, and just listening.

Cognitive Distortions

David Burns published a list of 10 Cognitive Distortions.  It has been helpful to review this list in analyzing my thinking patterns especially when negative thoughts take over my brain.  We all fall into these distortions from time to time whether it is related to how we view ourselves or how we view those around us.

Solitude is Essential

We live in a world surrounded by noise and distraction.  The TV is constantly on in the background.  We can't get enough music on our ipods.  Our phones are always at our fingertips no matter where we are and people expect us to answer them.  Laptops and tablets even travel with us.  Even as I type I'm sitting in our sun room enjoying the rain fall while writing this post on my laptop.  All this technology can be great at times but it has completely taken away our solitude.

All this constant noise gets to us on a subconscious level.  We need to completely unplug regularly and just listen to the quiet around us.  We need to turn the TV off at dinner and actually enjoy the meal.  We need to leave the ipod behind when we walk so we can hear the leaves rustling and the birds chirping.  We need to just sit in our gardens and enjoy the beauty of the plants and flowers.  We need to stop and smell the roses.

Try it.  Even just for 15 minutes.  You may be surprised at the calming effect it can have on you and how it can make the rest of your day go smoother.

We all need a "Listening Post"

Sigurd Olson created a retreat called the Listening Post.  He was a writer who felt the need to find solace in nature so he purchased 26 acres of undeveloped land (and later added 10 more acres) on Burntside Lake near Ely, MN.  He then searched for an old cabin and when he found one he had it disassembled and reassembled on the property (with a few modifications).  This is where he spent time and found his inspiration for some of his writings.  I first read about Sigurd Olson in Minnesota Conservation Volunteer which is an excellent magazine.  You can read the article here.  I think what we can all take from this article is that we need to take the time to listen and we need to each find a place where we can go to center ourselves.

The importance of self-care

I've been learning the significant importance of self-care when doing the work I do.  The amount of stuff thrown at me at any given time added to the very difficult stories I hear can make a person go crazy.  Fortunately spring is upon us, or at least it feels like it.  It's probably a bit early to think winter is over but the temps in the 60s and 70s are wonderful.  So planning of my garden has begun and this past weekend I was able to start some plants from seed in my sun room and spend some time in the garden plot digging out weeds and old plants.  I think I spent 5 hours outside on Sunday alone.  Gardening I'm discovering is a great de-stresser for me just like hanging laundry outside (which I also did this weekend).  I was amazed at how relaxed I was going into work on Monday.

Now every morning, I walk through my sunroom looking for sprouts and in the evening spend more time watering and just enjoying them.  I also set up my composter that my parents bought me for Christmas.  And it is fun to spin, so that has become a part of my daily evening routine.

Anyway, just thought I would share a few of my de-stressers.  I hope all of you have found ways to take care of yourself.