For most of us in police work, the idea of striking a true work-life balance is as real and elusive as Bigfoot. Is it out there? Maybe. But the odds of finding it are certainly not in our favor and others may think us crazy as we search for it.
In Todd Duncan’s book Life On The Wire: Avoid Burnout And Succeed In Work And Life he redefined the meaning of balance. I don’t know about you, but whenever I hear the word balance I think of old fashioned scales like the ones held by the blindfolded, toga-wearing statue of Lady Justice. But Duncan defines the idea of balance in a very different way which helped me understand the concept and apply it.
Balance Shmalance
The way he illustrated balance was not with scales, but with an acrobat walking a tightrope. If you’ve ever been to a circus or seen a tightrope walker on TV, many of them walk while holding a long, horizontal pole. The acrobat and the pole are never standing still and are never perfectly balanced, but are always tipping and teetering back and forth with an untold number of micro adjustments. Though the acrobat is never centered on the tightrope just so, she is able to move about from one end to the other without falling as long as she keeps moving. It’s the constant movement that keeps the acrobat on the wire. If the acrobat was to lean in one direction for too long, she would fall.
Our job places lots of demands on us; demands that drain us mentally, physically, and emotionally, and demands that drain our time and attention. Then there is our home life, which does exactly the same thing. So how do we serve our community, do a good job, be fully present and situationally aware at work, but still spend quality time with our family, be a good husband and father, wife and mother, provider, friend, and family member? How do we balance all of it? With an untold number of micro adjustments.
Keep Moving
There is an ebb and flow to life — a give and take, a back and forth. There are periods of up-time and down-time, times when expenses come up and we have to work extra, times when there are special events we need to be at, times of birthdays and anniversaries, and so on.
In truth, like the tightrope walker, we are never actually balanced. We are ever in a state of imbalance — a constant back and forth. The key, then, is to to keep moving and never lean in one direction for too long. If we maintain an awareness of the demands of the job that come at us today, this week, or this month, it allows us to then counter those demands by planning ahead for our workouts, our family time, and time to rest and relax. It takes discipline.
Be Intentional
If you’re feeling out of control with work and your kids are having trouble recognizing you, chances are you have been leaning in one direction for too long and are lacking intentionality. Believe me, I understand how demanding this job can be. We can’t always control how many hours we work or how those extra hours will foil our plans. But, we are not victims and we will not sit idly by and let ourselves, our families, and our jobs deteriorate by doing nothing. Coach Lou Holtz said, “If we’re not growing, we’re dying.” Growth takes discipline and intentionality. So does balance.
Go Find Bigfoot
Look at your schedule week to week. Sit down with your spouse if you have one. Decide what days to work extra, what days to take off, and then be intentional about how you spend your time off. When you are home turn off the TV, put the phones away, be fully present, and balance your highly demanding work life with a highly intentional personal life. Once that’s done, get ready to change your plans, because: police work. Make lots of micro adjustments, keep moving, and you’ll find Bigfoot. He’s out there.
- Do you feel out of control with your schedule?
- What is your idea of work-life balance?
- Are you as intentional as you could be?
- What can you do this week to start walking the wire?
Thanks for reading! Do you have a story that you think we could learn from and that you’d like to share with Johnny Tactical nation? Fill out the contact form and include your name, rank, and department, or email it to [email protected] and follow these guidelines:
- It must be a firsthand account
- True
- Have a lesson, principle, or tactic to apply
- Cleaned of names, dates, and places
- Include your call sign
If your story is selected and published in our blog you’ll get the credit using your call sign and we’ll send you a free Johnny Tactical sticker.
Leave a Reply
Your email is safe with us.
You must be logged in to post a comment.