At my job, I sometimes play a part in the worst day of people’s lives.
My job involves giving bad news, cancer news. While this stays with the person on the other end of the phone and changes their life, I hang up and have to move forward. Sometimes I have to make more phone calls, with good or bad news, sometimes I am in the middle of my day and have to see other patients. Oftentimes, results come at the end of the day. I call someone with devastating news, then leave to go pick up my kids.
My kids vaguely know what I do for a living. They know I help people. They know I can’t talk about people at work for privacy reasons. But I make it a point not to bring work, stress, or sadness from the day into the pick-up line.
Everyone in the medical field and first responders have a different way of not bringing work home. For me, honestly, it’s just practice —having done this for over ten years. On particularly hard days, I like to watch something mindless on the couch with my kids, listen to music, a podcast, or work out. Distractions work.
One thing I do bring home from work every day to my kids is being grateful. I am grateful that we are able-bodied and able to spend time together. I don’t worry about day-to-day drama. I know my kids can do hard things. I push myself to do hard things, too.
I bring home values from my days at work for my kids. Be grateful for your health. Enjoy yourself. Be silly. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Do not delay joy. Don’t save jewelry or outfits for special occasions. Use the good plates.
