“Given what we absorb, it’s very easy to have conversations playing out in your head after hours, but that’s like having group therapy in your living room,” says Heather Lynch, MA, LPC, ACS, Clinical Manager of Adult Programs at Princeton House’s North Brunswick outpatient site. “We all know that to be effective and engaged, we really need to be present in the experience at hand – both at work and in our personal lives.”
Lynch offers these tips for doing so:
Find snippets of time to recharge. An eight-hour workday shouldn’t mean eight straight hours. If you have 10 minutes between sessions, try to fully disengage by getting a snack or going outside, without thinking about what’s next. Your brain needs that time to feel replenished.
Create a process to disengage. If you work outside the home, use the return trip for your mind to move through anything important. When your feet hit the driveway, that’s a cue to say, “I’m done.” If you work at home, take time at your desk at the end of the day for this clearing process. Make a list of priorities for the next day to help you leave them behind until then.
Let down time be just that. Power down the phone when you can. Let colleagues know when you’re taking time off – and if possible, that you won’t be responding to emails. Set this tone by not expecting others to respond to emails when they’re off.
Connect with different types of friends. Sometimes deep discussions with introspective friends are helpful, and sometimes you may just need to go out to dinner with someone fun. Be mindful of your level of depletion and plan outings accordingly.
Know your warning signs. Watch for signs that you’re headed for burnout, and be willing to hear it from others when you don’t recognize it yourself. Like we suggest for patients, create a self-care toolkit that works for you, including your own therapist when needed.
For additional insight from Lynch, listen to the Mind on Mental Health self-care and work/life balance podcasts at princetonhouse.org/podcast.
Book Club PickGet more mindfulness tips from a recent Penn Medicine book club selection: “Be Where Your Feet Are: Seven Principles to Keep You Present, Grounded, and Thriving” by sports executive Scott O’Neil. |
Wellness and Balance at Princeton HouseIn an employee wellness initiative led by Donna Kiley, MSW, LCSW, Director of Outpatient Services at the Moorestown outpatient site, Princeton House is helping the outpatient team achieve a healthy work-life balance. Program components to date have included yoga, the availability of standing desks, a more flexible dress code, wellness carts, and fun team-building activities. |
