The Psychological Services Group (PSG) is aware of the significant
increase in POE operations and has been exploring the related stress
and challenges for officers since 2009.
In the past few years, PSG had contacted different officers involved
in POE, and conducted surveys on their adjustments in POE operations.
We found out that they did experience a significant increase in
the stress level of POE, and the stress was quite unique in nature.
We also found out that the following skills are important to
officers' psychological adjustments in POE operations.
Four
elements of Psychological Gear: T.A.K.E.
T - Treat Your Body
Be aware in operations of the influence on mind and body. If
you take care of your body, you can take care of your mind, and vice
versa. For example, learn breathing exercises that can help your body
relax. Use these skills in daily life and operations so that you
can recover from your fatigue.
A - Appreciate Your Role
Don't forget to acknowledge your contributions and improvement in
each POE operation, even though you find the task stressful and
difficult. Train yourself to find your own meaning and purpose in
each operation so that you can have a real intrinsic satisfaction in
POE duties.
K - Know Your People
Know Your OWN People and be proactive to understand your teammates
and exchange views about each operation and understand your
subordinates or superiors about their feelings and views so as to
foster better mutual support and morale.
K - Know Others
Be prepared for inter-unit and inter-departmental communication
and co-operation and understand different parties proactively. Try to
put yourself in their positions to develop your empathy. This would
facilitate more objective views about others and enhance better
emotional control during operations.
E - Endure Hard Feelings
Learn to admit that you can have stress and hard feelings in POE
operations. Try to understand your own emotions in order to
enhance your emotional resilience. Be good to yourself by learning to
forgive yourself and others in operations. Equipped yourself with
different stress management strategies in your daily life, such as
learning to have multi-perspectives in viewing the situations that can
trigger your emotions.
PSG will invite three Force members to share their T.A.K.E. wisdom
in POE operations. We hope that through their sharing, officers can be
better equipped for their psychological gear in POE operations and be
competent in facing challenges with more confidence, skills and
strength.
