Page 58 - July 2017 Newsletter

The gift of rest
Are you (or do you know) an exhausted Po- lice Officer who goes to court works a side job or does overtime shifts on days off, and do you wonder why you always feel mentally and phys- ically drained? Everyone knows the answer ex- cept for the cop on the hamster wheel.
Those in law enforcement consider themselves excellent multitaskers, and occasionally you see an exhausted mul-
in a good book. Sometimes I enjoy a nice cigar.”
“With all the evil I’ve seen and dealt with over a 25-year career, I find time to rest while fishing. It really helps ease the tension from the job. Having that peace and quiet is an
essential balance for all the noise I hear at work!”
“I make a habit of not watching television on my days off. My wife loves how productive I become. I get er-
rands done without distractions of the television.” Their answers impressed me because I know many in law enforcement who do not understand the benefit of rest. I know too many Police Officers who are constantly moving and doing, yet getting lit- tle accomplished. When drained, we think we don’t de- serve to take a break, so we overlook our body’s hints about rest. Our culture pressures us to be productive 24/7. Noth-
ing encourages us to stop.
We are in such a hurry that we seem to get further behind
than ahead. Only when we help ourselves can we help oth- ers and be effective. Rest is essential to physical and mental well-being. The faster you go, the more you need downtime and deep rest. You will better serve everyone in your life when rested, and you will love your life more.
Taking time for ourselves may seem like a luxury, or even selfish, until we finally become sick are forced to rest. Break that cycle. Find time to rejuvenate yourself.
Rachel Macy Stafford, author of Hands Free Life: Nine Habits for Overcoming Distraction, Living Better & Loving More, spoke on FOX News about her book. She wrote that being busy has become a badge of honor, yet it leaves us unfulfilled. It does not elicit feelings of peace or content- ment. It is not something we will reminisce about as we take our final breaths. We respond to messages and emails immediately (or at least feel like we have to). We attend social functions at the expense of family time. We say yes to requests because we feel we can’t say no or because we mistakenly believe certain commitments will bring us ac- ceptance or prestige.
One simple but powerful strategy Stafford began using at the height of her distracted, overcommitted, stressed-out life was asking the following three questions on a regular basis:
1. Does the amount of time and attention I currently offer
to my family convey that they are a top priority in my
life?
2. Does my current schedule allow for time spent simply
being all there with my loved ones?
3. Do I have any extracurricular commitments or time-
wasting distractions I could eliminate in order to spend a few minutes of special time each day with my child or spouse?
We all get caught up in our busy lives, and we all need to
be reminded to relax and spend time with the people we love. d
Brian McVey worked as a Chicago Police Officer for more than 10 years. He has a master’s degree in police psychology. He can be reached at btmcvey@comcast.net.
BRIAN MCVEY
titasker at roll call with an empty holster. You’ve
seen or done it. Every department has a Police Offi-
cer who comes late to work, court or a side job, think-
ing it is the norm. It’s not. Rarely are we as good as we think we are at juggling a hectic life: work, family, traffic, soccer practice and that 5 a.m. CrossFit class.
People need rest, recreation and time away from “the job” to go at a slower pace. Law enforcers are professional observers, watching people all day, every day. Some of us need to look in the mirror and realize that our zip drive is full. We have to make rest a priority to keep stress in check.
Leonardo DaVinci said, “Every now and then, go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work, your judgment will be surer.” In that vein, I recently asked three Police Officers what they do to relax and un- wind, and here’s how they responded:
“On my days off, I make it a priority to relax and get lost
Health and Wellness
58 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ JULY 2017