Healthy Balance

Speaker 1 0:01

Hello and welcome to another episode of the Healthy Shift Podcast . I'm Roger Sutherland and today I really want to discuss a topic that resonates very deeply with so many of us , particularly myself and especially those of you , in that demanding world of shift work . So let's look into finding and maintaining a healthy balance between work and our personal life . Shift work can be brutal , but it doesn't have to be . Welcome to A Healthy Shift . My name is Roger Sutherland , certified Nutritionist , veteran Law Enforcement and 24-7 shift worker for almost four decades . Through this podcast , I aim to educate shift workers , using evidence-based methods , to not only survive the rigors of shift work but thrive . My goal is to empower shift workers to improve their health and well-being so they have more energy to do the things they love . Enjoy today's show .

Speaker 1 1:17

We all know just how challenging it can be to juggle the demands of our 24-7 shift working environment . Well , we still have to try somehow and carve out time for ourselves , don't we ? Also our families , our loved ones , and not to mention our hobbies or our passions . But fear not . Today I'm going to be sharing evidence-based strategies that will help you to thrive both at work and in your personal life . So let's get started . First of all , what I want you to really understand , or I'd like you to really try and understand , is the challenges that we face to start off with , as if I have to point that out to you . But before we dive into solutions and strategies to combat this , let's first acknowledge these challenges that come with our shift work , irregular hours , disrupted sleep patterns , and we also have incredible physical and mental demands in our jobs that can make it incredibly tough for us to maintain a really healthy balance between home and work , and these challenges can and will lead to burnout , stress and a feeling of being constantly overwhelmed . But here's the good news With the right strategies , you can overcome these hurdles and you can create a more harmonious balance between your work and your personal life . So let's hook into the first one . This is , without doubt , the most underrated and most important , and that is self-care . Now you might think , yeah , yeah , I've got no time for that . Yes , you do , and you have to make time for it because it's really , really important .

Speaker 1 2:56

One of the most crucial aspects of maintaining a healthy balance is prioritizing self-care . Now , it might sound cliche , but you can't pour from an empty cup . There is no way can you possibly give your best to others if you are absolutely depleted yourself , and if you work in frontline health or law enforcement or emergency services . You cannot possibly help and support the people that you are trying to help if there's nothing left of you other than a shell . And so here are some practical self-care tips to help you . Number one when you look at your roster over the next week and I've talked about this so many times you need to schedule , and what you do need to schedule as well is you need to schedule me time , just like your roster has to be scheduled in schedule time for yourself . Whether it's a quiet walk , whether it's just curling up on the couch and reading a book , watching a TV series or practicing mindfulness , you've got to make sure that you've made dedicated time to recharge yourself . It cannot be go , go , go go all the time .

Speaker 1 4:14

Number two another way we self-care for ourselves is with healthy nutrition . I know you knew it was coming , but fueling your body with nutritious foods can and will boost your energy levels and your overall well-being . Those micronutrients and macronutrients that we are missing out on daily are just so important to us in just our everyday functioning , and it's really , really important , really important . As an evidence-based nutritionist , I could not possibly stress enough the importance of a balanced diet which is rich in fruits , vegetables , lean proteins as well as whole grains All incredibly important . A Mediterranean style of eating is definitely , without any doubt whatsoever , the way to go , and that is literally those fruits and vegetables , lean proteins , nuts , seeds , legumes and whole grains , and if you have chicken and fish and a small amount of red meat weekly , you're going to be absolutely fine . And with that , with all those colors from those fruits and vegetables , you'll be getting those micronutrients , which is what fuels us and keeps us going .

Speaker 1 5:28

We also need to be getting regular exercise . Now , I called it exercise , but it probably should really be called movement , because physical activity , movement is a great way for us to reduce stress and it also improves our mood . Think back to through COVID , for those people that couldn't exercise . It was incredibly frustrating . It was unbelievably frustrating to have all of that taken office . No one wanted to work out at home . We were allowed to walk and everybody was out walking . But the problem is we need to be doing this every day . We need to make time . 30 minutes of exercise , regular exercise . You don't have to be running , you don't have to be squatting 150 kilograms in the gym . All you got to be doing is getting some form of movement for 30 minutes every single day , and your body will thank you . So find an exercise routine that fits into your schedule and then just stick with it . Even if it's short , regular walks , this can make an enormously big difference . It might be yoga , it might be Pilates , it could be anything , but even if it's just a short walk , that's enough to keep us going All right .

Speaker 1 6:43

Our next segment is time management techniques . Here we go time management . You've heard the cliche everyone has the same 24 hours , and they do . And you heard what Alan Borger said on his podcast show me your calendar and I'll tell you what your priorities are , and it literally is that simple . Effective time management is the key to balancing our work and our personal life , and here are some strategies to help you make the most of your time . We must prioritise our tasks , identify the most important tasks that need to be done each day and focus on those first up . This is called eating the frog . The term is eating the frog . Get the most important things done first up and then . This helps to prevent this feeling of being overwhelmed by a massively long to-do list , which Alan also told us don't work . So what we need to do is we just need to pick those two major tasks , or a couple of major tasks , and just hook into those and get them done , and then we feel quite accomplished .

Speaker 1 7:55

The next thing we need to do is we need to set boundaries and we need to learn to say no when it is necessary . You are a shift worker . You are unique . You are exhausted . You are working when everybody else is tucked up in bed . You need to learn to say no . You cannot just keep going . It is absolutely okay to set boundaries to protect your personal time and prevent this burnout , because if you continually are running to other people to help them without doing anything for yourself , you are going to find yourself in big trouble , and once you hit rock bottom , it is an awful long way back , trust me .

Speaker 1 8:39

The next thing we need to do is we need to use technology wisely . We need to utilize apps and tools to help us to organize our schedule and set reminders for important tasks . This will also help you to stay on track and reduce stress . So utilize everything that you can . One of the most important things that I help clients with is with a whiteboard , and what I do is I get the clients to write on the whiteboard their shifts . They do Sunday to Saturday . On every day they write their shift down . They then put in what they absolutely have to get done . What is there in that week that must get done ? What day does Johnny have to go to sport ? What day do we have to get to calisthenics ? What day do we have to do it ? Whatever ? Whatever task you've got on there that you have to get to . If you've got a dentist appointment , put it on there and then schedule time in for me time going to the gym , going for a walk , doing whatever , catching up with a friend . That's also important . You've got to make sure that we've got it visual so that we can see it , not set these unrealistic expectations at the start of the week and then get to the end of the week and feel like such a failure because we've actually achieved nothing .

Speaker 1 9:59

The next area that I want to look at is building a support system in place . Having a support system something outside of your work , having a strong support system is literally vital for maintaining a really healthy work-life balance a really healthy balance . So surround yourself with people who understand and support your lifestyle . You don't need drainers . Where have you been ? Why haven't I heard from you in the last couple of weeks ? What have you been doing ? I see you're doing this and I see you're doing that , but how come ? Just remember , you're a shift worker . You are different and unique to others and they won't get it , so make sure that you are in a position where you can say no .

A Healthy Work-Life Balance

Speaker 1 10:49

Here are some ways you can build and maintain a support system . First of all , communicate with your loved ones . Keep an open line of communication with your family and friends and let them know about your schedule and how they can support you . Once again , this can go back to this whiteboard in your house . If they're in a position where they can just look at the board to see when mum is working , then they know when mum is working and they don't have to ask mum , mum , when are you working , because that's a conversation that you just don't need to have . It's on the board , and Johnny will get used to looking on the board for when mum's working and also will see that you are well aware that he has his school sports on Thursday and that you'll be there because it's on the board and it will just save that problem for you . All right , so let's just put it on the board .

Speaker 1 11:45

Connect with colleagues . Forming strong relationships with your colleagues can create a sense of camaraderie and also mutual support . It's someone who gets you , it's someone who understands you , and sharing experiences and receiving advice from them from an outside can also be incredibly beneficial . But I also want to say this it's also super important to disconnect from colleagues as well . Give your brain a work break . It's important . Don't get stuck in these WhatsApp chat groups about work when you're not at work . Get away from it .

Speaker 1 12:27

The next thing I want to really encourage people to do is , if you really are feeling overwhelmed and you really are struggling , then seek professional help . If you're really struggling to manage your stress or balance your life , don't hesitate to seek help from a professional , such as a therapist , or hello , a coach that can literally help you with this , or hello , a coach that can literally help you with this . We can provide you with valuable guidance and support . What will feel like a forest . We can carve a path for you until you can find your own way . And find your own way really , really well . That's what we do .

Speaker 1 13:03

And remember , I've got 40 years of shift work experience myself . I can help you . I can help you in many , many ways that you won't have even thought of . You can't look at it and go , oh yeah , but I've got this and I've got that . I've done that . I've been through that . I had children through shift work . I was working all the shifts 24-7 . I know what it's like to run a house , have children , have a wife , do the whole story . I've got all of that covered . I can help you with that . I'm through the other side and I survived and I can help you to navigate . Looking at your life looking at your work life , your home life as well as your social life and making it all work for you your home life as well as your social life and making it all work for you .

Speaker 1 13:54

The last thing that I want to talk about is embracing flexibility , because flexibility is a crucial component of maintaining a healthy work-life balance as well , and I'll just give you a few tips to embrace flexibility as well , and that is to adapt to your routine , be willing to adjust your routine as needed . Life is unpredictable and flexibility will literally help you to stay balanced even when things don't go as planned . How many people do you know that , literally , when something happens that changes the course of the path , they freak out . They've got no idea what's going on and they can't cope . Don't be that person . Be flexible , take a deep breath , okay . Next , what I highly suggest and I help clients with this as well is plan for and have a . If this happens , I will . So . If this happens , I will do this Because that really really works well , because under the pressure of you get over time and you can't do it . So if this happens , if I get over time , I will do this . Make sure you've got that covered . Learn from one week with the mistakes that were made one week and make sure that it doesn't happen in the next week by putting a strategy in place . Learn from it . That's all I say .

Speaker 1 15:16

Another thing that I really really say is for people to practice mindfulness as well . I know people think it's happy clapper , it's on a bumper sticker , because it's true . Mindfulness techniques such as meditation and deep breathing will really help you to stay present and will reduce stress . I can guarantee that and I can speak from my own evidence as well . The world seems to completely slow down with meditation and deep breathing exercises , because it gives your brain time to choose the response , and that really really does help . And incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine can enhance your overall wellbeing . And in fact , I'll go a step further and say it actually does enhance your overall wellbeing in many , many ways .

Speaker 1 15:58

And another thing don't forget to celebrate the small wins . Don't set unrealistic expectations , and I'll use an example . Don't get to the start of the week and say I will go to the gym five times this week , because if Don't get to the start of the week and say I will go to the gym five times this week Because if you only get to the gym three times , you feel like a failure . Had you have said I'll go to the gym three times this week because that was realistic and you crush those three times , how much different is your mindset going to be ? It will make a massive difference for you all right , this can really boost your morale and can really motivate you into continually striving for more and more balance outside of your job . Now I just want to go into a personal reflection of mine here , which is one of the main reasons why this podcast has actually been done , Because when you've worked in law enforcement for so long .

Speaker 1 16:50

When you first start for the first 10 , 15 years , you absolutely live and die in the job . Everything's about the job . Everything at work , out of work , around work , the people you socialise with , is all work , and this is dangerous because what it does is , if that's ever taken off you or taken away from you at any period in time , it will severely dent your mental health , and I mean severely dent your mental health . While I was working and catching up and sitting there and chatting about work and then doing the same thing outside of work , talking to people on the phone about work , the whole thing was work and it's unhealthy . Those relationships that you've got outside of work start to really suffer . So take the advice from me today Go to work , give them your eight hours , pound of flesh and whatever else they need , but make sure that you have a really good network in place outside of your work which is not work-related , and that will really really help you a hell of a lot .

Speaker 1 18:01

All right , so in conclusion , maintaining a healthy balance between work and your personal life is actually a journey , right ? It's not the destination , it's something that you keep on going on all the time , and it's about making small and consistent changes that lead to a more fulfilling and very , very balanced life , and remember that you have the power to create the balance that you desire . If you've got people in your life that are draining you , untie the boat . You don't have to say to them I'm not seeing you anymore , just untie the boat and let them drift away . Okay , so thanks for joining me on this episode of the Healthy Shift Podcast . I hope you found these strategies helpful and inspiring , and if you've got any questions or topics that you'd like me to cover in future episodes , please feel free to reach out . Until next time , take care of yourself and keep striving for that healthy balance . You've got this .

Speaker 1 18:58

Thank you for tuning into the Healthy Shift podcast and if you joined this episode , please don't forget to hit that follow button . It really does make a massive difference , and if you're an Apple listener and I know you're listening to this on your Apple phone at the moment please if you could be so kind to go back and just hit the five stars and leave a rating and then just take a few extra seconds and just write a short review and , more importantly , just write a short review and , more importantly , share it with your fellow shift workers , because when you do that , it creates more education in our shift working life , and that is what we need to thrive and not just survive . So stay connected with me on social media at a underscore healthy , underscore shift , and I'll give you more tips and inspiration . Remember , your health and wellbeing are worth it . Keep thriving , not just surviving . And that's a wrap for today's episode .

Speaker 1 19:55

Remember , finding balance is a continuous process , but with dedication and the right strategies , you can achieve a fulfilling and healthy work-life balance . Stay strong , stay healthy , and I'll see you on the next episode . Thank you for listening . If you enjoyed this episode , be sure to subscribe so you get notified whenever a new episode is released . It would also be ever so helpful if you could leave a rating and review on the app you're currently listening on . If you want to know more about me or work with me , you can go to ahealthyshiftcom . I'll catch you on the next one .