10 Self-Care Tips for First Responders

by California Casualty | Firefighters, Health, Helpful Tips, Peace Officers | 0 comments

A first responder’s job can be stressful. The intense workloads, life-and-death decisions, and risk of personal harm, along with time away from family, can affect your emotional wellbeing. Prioritizing self-care is important to keep you feeling your best, ensuring you can continue to do what you love.

While you’re caring for others, your own self-care may not be top of mind. That’s why we’ve put together a list of things everyday heroes can do, both on the job and off.

1.  Strive for work-life balance.

Set a pace that allows for breaks and time off. Limit yourself to shifts that are no longer than 12-hours. Schedule breaks during your shift and time for relaxation before or after. Practice time management. Set boundaries and learn to say no to more responsibilities if you are already maxed out.

2.  Don’t work alone.

Working alone can cause added mental and physical strain. Being in it together has great mental benefits. Working as a team also opens opportunities for mentorship. Set up a buddy system so you can support one another and monitor each other’s stress and workload. Then remember to check in with each other. Your coworkers are the ones that truly understand the pressures of the job.

3.  Exercise regularly.

Exercise has been shown to help you feel your best. It helps protect you both physically and mentally, boosting your immunity and improving your mood. That’s why it’s important to make stretching and movement a part of your day. Find the workout that you enjoy so that you’ll do it. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of exercise a week.

4.  Eat a healthy, balanced diet.

It may be tempting to snack on junk foods or to reach for wine or beer to relax after work. You’ll feel better if you choose healthy foods and limit alcohol. Prioritize regular meals to avoid vending machine snacks and fast food. Include a balance of lean protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats in your diet. Stay hydrated during your shift. Go for water rather than sugary drinks and caffeine.

5.  Get enough sleep.

Sleep gives our bodies time to heal and repair. You need 6-8 hours of sleep each night. That doesn’t count lying in bed, waiting to fall asleep, or spending time scrolling on your phone. Create a consistent bedtime routine that includes shutting off electronics. A hot bath or shower can help to relax you before bed. If you’re sleeping during daytime hours due to night shift work, invest in blackout curtains to create the illusion of nighttime.

6.  Practice mindfulness.

Mindfulness can help you detach from the trauma of a critical incident and focus on what needs to be done. Recognize that you are feeling stressed. Acknowledge your emotions. Release any judgment associated with them. Let go of the urge to control those feelings. Then return your focus to the present moment. Breathing and relaxation techniques also can help you to process a traumatic incident after it is done.

Pro Tip: Try a guided mediation on the way home from work. This will help you shift from fight-or-flight mode to a more relaxed state where you can interact with loved ones.

7.  Laughter really is the best medicine.

Humor goes a long way to relieve tension and stress. It stimulates circulation, increases your intake of oxygen, and relaxes your muscles. It also improves your mood. Find occasions to laugh, whether it’s your favorite sitcom, a funny comic strip or video, or a humorous podcast. Keep a notebook with favorite jokes. If you share them at work, however, keep them PG. Know your audience. Remember that humor can unite a group, but it also can divide it.

8.  Keep in touch.

Chances are that you’re working long hours away from home and family. Or you’re working an opposite shift from your spouse. Come up with ways that you can communicate with loved ones, and they with you. Perhaps it’s a nightly bedtime call from your child or a note in the morning left for a loved one. When family reaches out to you, keep their expectations realistic. You may not always be available.

9.  Find a favorite hobby.

Hobbies provide an excellent outlet for channeling your emotions. Choose one that makes you feel fulfilled and happy. Being around animals, creating art, playing sports, camping, and reading are all hobbies that can take your mind away from work.

10.  Practice gratitude and spread positivity.

We choose our attitudes. Make yours a positive one. There are many ways to be kind and foster positivity. Share a motivating experience with a colleague. Show your gratitude to an administrator or colleague. Create a gratitude wall where staff can post short notes of a job well done.

Watch for warning signs of burnout.

 It’s easy to burnout with a high-stress job like yours. Know the warning signs:

• Extreme exhaustion, feeling overwhelmed
• Sadness, depression, irritability, isolation, or apathy
• Nightmares
• Using alcohol or drugs to cope
• Thoughts of suicide
• Neglecting personal hygiene
• Excessive worry, feeling constantly on guard

You don’t have to do this alone. There are supportive colleagues, friends and family members available to help. You only need to ask. You also may access resources through your employer for confidential counseling.

Remember why you became a first responder.

Helping others is a calling. Embrace the variety, the ups and downs, and know that you’re making a difference.

At California Casualty, we honor first responders with exclusive insurance benefits. We do more for the people who give more, and we thank you for your service.

This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.

Time Management Tips for First Responders

by California Casualty | Firefighters, Health, Helpful Tips, Peace Officers | 0 comments

In the fast-paced world of first responders, every second counts. Effective time management isn’t just a skill – it’s a lifeline. We’ve put together the essential time management tips that will help you navigate multiple demands, changing priorities, and importantly, a life outside of work.

Tip #1: Plan ahead.

Look at your work schedule within the context of family and social commitments. Then create a master calendar that has everything on it at-a-glance.

• Write down your work schedule, family time, “you” time, and social commitments. Plug them into your calendar. Pro Tip: If you’re using a computer, you can color code by work and non-work time.
• The master calendar doesn’t need detail. It’s an overview for your reference.
• Note any larger projects/events that you will need to address (work or otherwise), and schedule the tasks associated with those into your calendar. This helps you break down a large commitment into smaller bite-sized tasks. Add a deadline to each task.
• Place this in a calendar that you see daily. This way you won’t overcommit or forget about meetings or tasks, and you can review and adjust as needed.

Tip #2: Set priorities.

Work can be quiet or chaotic for first responders. You’ll want to prepare, knowing that at any given moment, you might need to change course.

• Set your work goals for the week. Some people use a spreadsheet with columns for tasks, person responsible, and status.
• Organize each goal by priority: high or low. You can use color coding to provide a visual distinction.
• Use this weekly list to create a daily checklist. Put high priorities first on that list.
• Anticipate potential problems and prepare contingency plans. Schedules and commitments frequently change, so allow extra time for tasks.

Tip #3: Establish a routine.

You may not be able to control the emergencies, but you can determine how you will tackle the workload. Creating a regular routine can help.

• Start your day in a way that will energize you mentally and physically. Give yourself enough time to eat and hydrate before a shift.
• Tackle the top priority items first when you get to work.
• Leave the lower priorities for when you have extra time. That way you won’t invest too much in noncritical tasks.
• For the first week or so, keep a daily activity log. This will help you track what you’re doing. Then you can review and adjust your schedule as needed.

Tip #4: Minimize distractions at work.

It’s easy to get sidelined by distractions, from conversations in the office to emails, texts, and social media. Pay attention to the distractions that keep you from being productive, then take steps to minimize them.

• Turn off email notifications or sounds from your computer and phone.
• Set a time each day where you will check messages for a specified amount of time only. You may want to do it every hour on the hour for a 5-minute period, or if communications are less critical, then at the start, middle, and end of your shift.
• Close your door to minimize conversations, or let colleagues know that you’re unavailable for a certain time.
• Stay off the Internet so you’re not tempted to surf the web. Designate web surfing time at home.

Tip #5: Avoid multi-tasking.

It may seem as if you’re doing much more by multi-tasking, but splitting your attention between tasks is less productive. You’ll have better outcomes and feel less drained if you tackle one task at a time.

• Try the 20-minute rule. Set a timer. Tackle a task for 20 minutes. As the timer sounds, decide if you will continue for another 20 minutes or put the task down for later.
• Remove everything from your desk or screen except the work you are doing. This will help you to focus on one task.
• Don’t start on anything else until you have finished the task at hand.
• If you do want to switch gears, put away the first project and bring out the new one.

 Tip #6: Remove things from your to-do list.

You don’t have to do everything even though some days it may feel like that. Remember that you are part of a team working toward the same goal, and similarly part of a family unit or friend group.

• Don’t invest time in tasks that have no long-term effects. These are naturally low priority.
• Focus your energy on tasks that you alone can accomplish and ask a team member to complete the others.
• Say no to tasks that you don’t have time for, especially last-minute requests that are low priority.
• If you can’t say no, don’t say yes immediately. Ask if you can let them know. That way you can better evaluate the commitment.

Tip #7: Be flexible.

Priorities change, things happen, and the best laid plans may have to be adjusted. Be ready, and flexible enough to make those changes.

• Schedule 50% of your day, allowing time for emergencies. If there are no emergencies, then you will get more done.
• Plan for high-priority tasks first and leave lower priority tasks for the remainder of your shift.
• Be mindful when you are going off track. Adjust priorities accordingly.
• If you’re interrupted and can’t seem to re-engage with work, tackle a lower priority task.

Tip #8: Get enough sleep.

You need to be well-rested to be the most productive. We know it may be hard to get enough sleep when working 12-hour shifts or double shifts.

• Set your thermostat to about 65 degrees for optimum sleeping temperature.
• Create a bedtime routine that does not include devices or television. Sometimes a warm shower or bath can help just prior to bed.
• Use a white noise machine or wear ear plugs to soften distracting noise.
• Use blackout shades or curtains and/or wear an eye mask.
• Try to go to bed at the same time every day even on your off days.

Tip #9: Leave work at work.

Separating work and home are essential for you to feel rested and recharged. If you’re able to manage your time effectively at work, you should be able to leave it there.

• Use your commute to decompress from work.
• Create an after-work ritual, whether it’s listening to music, watching a favorite show, changing into PJs, that signals you are done working.
• Resist the temptation to bring work home or to check emails on your days off. Know that your colleagues can handle anything that is needed.
• Take care of your mental health. Be aware of signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. Seek professional help if needed.

This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.