Tips for Dealing with Shift Work

* If you are scared to be home at night, say so. You have every right to feel comfortable and safe in your own home. Consider installing a security alarm, motion detector lights, locks on the windows and doors. Buy a dog. Make your home and your bedroom an appealing place where you feel secure when you are alone.

* Find other police spouses or families who will be alone at nights or on holidays. Get together with them.

* If you are a single parent, try finding others and share childcare.

* Remember there are 14 to 16 non-working hours left in a day. The whole day is not ruined when your officer has to work.

* Use your alone time to advantage. Think about what stimulates and gratifies you intellectually, emotionally, spiritually or physically.

* Remind yourself that shift work is temporary; most police departments eventually allow officers to change shifts or to rotate into a fixed-hour speciality. Try to think of a way shift work might be an advantage in the future.

* Make dates with each other. Knowing you and your spouse will have some time alone every Tuesday morning may be the anchor that gets you through the rest of the week.

We will talk about "long hours" in police work in the next two issues.

Reference

Copyright: "I Love a Cop: What Police Families Need to Know" by Dr Ellen Kirschman, Ph.D.

Stress management workshops

The PSG is conducting a series of stress management workshops in Chinese. The next one will be held at the PSRC Sportsman Bar on November 22 from 8.45am to 12.30pm. Participants are requested to arrive 15 minutes before the programme starts.

Thirty places for each session will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. Reservation can be made at 2866-6207.

Seek advice and help from the Psychological Services Group:

PHQ, Hong Kong Island and Marine: 2866-6206 (5/F, 111 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay); Kowloon and the New Territories: 2735-3739 (22/F, Ocean Building, 80 Shanghai Street, Kowloon). PEN: psg@police.gov.hk