necessary , put a 5-10 minute ‘ self-care ’ block of time in your schedule where you don ’ t have a meeting , call to make , or project to accomplish . During this time , read for pleasure ( not for work ), plan something enjoyable to do with your spouse / kids , listen to music or an audio book . If you meditate or pray , do so during this time . You might even close your eyes and simply sit silently , letting the world exist for a brief time without your conscious involvement . This can be a great time to incorporate your breathing exercise into your day .
STOP
This may be the most challenging recommendation of all . Make time in your life to temporarily put aside work responsibilities and focus on your outside responsibilities . All too often , law enforcement officers of every rank , tenure and assignment arrive at retirement with regret for not having balanced their work-home responsibilities well . Furthermore , a lack of work-home balance is correlated with lower morale , higher rates of burnout and work dissatisfaction , poorer decision-making , substance abuse and depression . Do this :
Schedule time ( literally calendar it ) each week to engage in a personally satisfying , non-work-related activity . Take time to eat lunch away from your office , to work out in the morning or early evening , to run errands or grocery shop with your spouse . Take the steps necessary to ensure that you are getting sufficient , uninterrupted sleep regularly . As antithetical as this suggestion may sound , delegate someone within your command to attend one meeting or one event on behalf of you and your agency . Finally , take time off from work . Time off , like a family vacation or weekend getaway , means that , barring the most significant of tragedies , you ’ re out-of-pocket . Don ’ t monitor your phone or the news - you have a competent command to handle matters should they arise .
IN THE END …
These suggestions may sound challenging . Most aspects of your job are challenging , but that does not prevent you from tackling them head on . Do the same for your health and for the good of your family , knowing that , in the end , slowing down can be the key to being a better chief executive . ■
WINTER 2019 | California Police Chief 35