A glass of water.

How heavy is an 8oz glass of water? How long can you hold up a glass of water?

The truth is the absolute weight of the glass doesn’t matter. Time is the important factor. The burden you feel depends on how long you try to hold the glass. If you hold it up for a minute, that’s not a big problem. If you hold it up for an hour, your arm may have an ache in it. If you hold the same glass of water all day long, you’ll have to call an ambulance with your one good hand.

 
In each case, the weight remained constant, but the longer you held it up, the more trying the task became.

 
That’s the way it is with stressful events. If you carry your burdens all the time, the burdens become increasingly heavy, and at some point, you won’t be able to carry on. As with the glass of water, it’s imperative you put it down for a while and rest before picking it up again. Once refreshed, you can carry on and shoulder the burden.

So, before you end your shift tonight, put the burden of work down. Don’t carry it home with you. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you are carrying now, set them down. Relax for the night and pick them up tomorrow after you’ve rested.

Try this technique to help yourself let go of the day. When you pull into your driveway and turn the key to shut your vehicle off tell yourself “My day as a LEO is done.” “I am home now, and I am a dad and a husband.” (Insert your own pronouns and relevancy.)

Say it out loud as if you were talking to someone. Don’t just think it. Say it out loud! Imagine that ignition key in your mind and how it cuts the ignition circuit, and the vehicle shuts off. That’s the same switch you use to let go of your shift and change into your home role(s).

Making that shift from your LEO role to home is one very effective way of letting go of the burdens of your job for a period of time and to escape from them.

In the following quips you will find some humor and sage advice!

• Accept that some days you’re the pigeon, and some days you’re the statue.
• Some days you’re the dog and some days you’re the hydrant.
• If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
• Drive carefully. It’s not just cars that can be recalled by their maker.
• Keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them later.