Healthy Personal Relationships for Federal Law Enforcement
Most jobs have a certain degree of pressure attached to them, but working as a federal law enforcer can truly take stress to the next level. And no matter how much you may try to avoid it, it’s practically impossible to prevent that stress from creeping into your personal life.
The worst part is that it may take a friend or a family member to point out just how much it’s all getting to you. It may be why law enforcers carry higher risks of divorce than many other professions. If you’re starting to feel your personal and professional life crumble from the inside out, there are ways to turn it around.
Hit the Ground Running
Your brain is more equipped to handle tough decisions at the beginning of the day rather than the end. Interestingly enough, this is true even if you consider yourself to be a night owl. (If you work the night shift, you can count the beginning of the day as immediately after you wake up.) Rearranging your schedule to front-load your day can lighten your load tremendously.
After a while, you’ll get used to tackling complex matters when you’re at your best rather than at the end of your shift when your brain has been taxed again and again. You can also use this strategy to help your loved ones at home as well. If you’re constantly coming home unable to lift a muscle, you can concentrate on getting tasks out of the way as early as you can for better results.
Resting Your Brain
Sleep has become a controversial topic in recent years, largely due to the number of distractions we face on a regular basis. Chances are, if you knew how to sleep for eight hours a night, you would have already made it happen. But giving up on a quality night’s rest means opening yourself up to impatience, irritation, and even extreme anger. To curb stress, you need to keep working on your routine until you get it right.
Along with eating right and exercising throughout the day, law enforcers need to go to bed at the same time in a dark, quiet space. Even if you aren’t actively sleeping during this time, you can at least work on giving your body some relief. Your loved ones can probably already tell you that you’re easier to be around after you’ve had some rest.
Seek Out More Support
The truth is that federal law enforcement officers face an incredible amount of criticism and scrutiny in their jobs. The distrust of the public and even from outside officials can be enough to make anyone crack. If you’re holding all of that fear inside, you’ll eventually start to see it emerge in other, less healthy ways. In addition to discussing matters with your superiors, it may be time to find someone trusted to confide in — be that a family member, friend, or professional.
This may be a difficult step for a number of reasons. When confiding in those you know, not only can it be hard for outsiders to put themselves in your shoes, but it’s also going to be hard for you to step out of the defense mode that’s defined you for many years. However, if your family and friends really care about you, they’ll make an effort to at least try to understand the pressure you feel if you first make the effort to come out of your shell. If this is not an option for you — or even if it is — speaking to someone professionally trained to help, can be extremely helpful.
Enrich Your Outside Life
When you neglect your own hobbies and interests for your family or profession, you ultimately chip away at your identity little by little. Making time for yourself isn’t selfish, it’s a way you can retain your efficacy both on and off the job. If your spouse or superiors try to tell you otherwise, you need to emphasize that it’s more important to maintain your sanity than it is to overschedule yourself.
Adjust Your Insurance
In a society that advocates lawsuits as a means to financial compensation, federal law enforcers need a solid insurance policy that can help cover potential allegations they may face while on the job. This tactic gives you the risk management you are likely to need if you are served with an official complaint.
Starr Wright USA provides Professional Liability Insurance to federal employees that may help alleviate the costs of attorney fees and liability. Additionally, their policies for federal law enforcement officers include coverage for instances of the lawful use of a firearm while off duty. While even the best policy can’t eliminate all the stress you may feel, it can be a light in the dark during particularly trying times.
Unfortunately, most federal employees vastly underestimate the emotional and financial devastation of a single claim. Lawsuits can drag on for months, wreaking havoc on a federal law enforcer’s finances, family and emotional well-being. Starr Wright is here to be the provider you need in those difficult times.