The Balance

[MMiz]

When I started this forum EMS was a big part of my life. EMS consumed my life in some ways, and filled some voids. As I worked in EMS and finished school, I found somewhat of a balance between work and my personal life.

Right now I feel like my life is 99% work, and 1% personal time. I ask the forum this question because I know EMS can be consuming, and sometimes you have to find "me" time.

How do you find the balance?

 

[Chimpie]

Vacations Matt. Vacations. Work gives you them so that you can take time out to get some rest, to do something different. Take an extended weekend. Travel someplace new. Learn something different.

I know a little bit about how a teacher lives. I have a friend who is a teacher. The work day doesn't stop at 2:30 when the last bell rings. She helped coached the girls' volleyball team which meant she stayed after school or came in on Saturdays. She often graded papers while watching TV or eating dinner, or did them on Sundays.

EMS is the same way. Working shifts for people who don't show up or have quit. Or working extra shifts for seasonal events in the community.

Both don't allow much "me" time, but you have to take it. If not you'll go insane.

 

[rescuecpt]

You have to set priorities with yourself. I'm super busy between work and EMS, but I have certain tv shows I ALWAYS watch or tape to watch later, and I have certain other things I do like getting my nails done.

My fiance and I take little weekends whenever we can, and one of our favorite things to do is a day trip to Foxwoods (a casino in CT). We get up early, get breakfast, drive out to Orient Point, buy the casino package - we get roundtrip ferry to CT, roundtrip bus from the ferry to the casino, passes for the buffet, free keno tix, etc. We spend 6-10 hours at the casino, and come back. It feels like we went away for a whole weekend, but it was only a day.

 

[gradygirl]

Balancing is hard. For me, I'm basically always on duty. I live where I work, so even if I'm not on-call, people associate me with being an EMT and have even come to ask for help instead of calling the LEOs to dispatch our responders.

It's even happened that I've gone to a rugby party to actually party and someone has thrown up. One friend in particular came up and gave me this speech about how I can't call anyone because we're not supposed to be partying, etc. etc. All I could do was to look at her. I wasn't there as a responder, I wasn't on-call, I was there to finally have a good time after being on-call for almost ever single rugby drink up, and she comes up to me like I was on-call. I left, I couldn't handle that. All I wanted to do was unwind and then I get "accused of" doing my job.

I'm still trying to balance being a student and being EMS, hopefully I'll get it soon. :blush:

 

[Tincanfireman]

When I was a volunteer, I had the tendency to overdo the "call to duty" thing at the expense of my family and the family life. After a particularly well-deserved verbal lashing at the hands of my dear wife, we came to a compromise. From that day forward, she "owned" the pager. If she was too sick, the event was too important, or the need for me around the house was too great, she'd simply make sure I saw her go to the pager and turn it off before sticking it in the charger. Only she then had the right to turn it back on. Before you say it, I'm a long way from being PW'ed, and she only did it about 3-4 times in the following 15 years or so. It was her way of reminding me that the department had successfully coped for many years before I joined, and that the people you live with and love are sometimes (gasp!!) more important than putting out a grass fire. It may not work for everyone, but it probably saved my marriage. Just an idea...

 

[Guardian]

It has been hard for me to find a balance. I keep telling myself that after I complete this or that goal, I will slow down. Years later, if anything, I'm speeding up and doing more than ever. I don't have much of a personal life and I fear one day I will regret this fact. I'm in the same boat you're in so if you find an answer, please tell me.

 

[Jon]

Yeah. I have the same problem. I work my full-time job, and a part-time job, as well as volunteer and go to school. I really don't have time for a social life... which stinks.

 

[Celtictigeress]

I have the Horses my part time job at the Ranch and my FT with EMS...

I also Babysit, I do social events for the community and still find time to Rodeo and ride parades... How do I do it??? My Boss knows Im the one he can call on at any given time...rather then piss me off if I ask for a day off I usually get it (I always get sunday off anyway)Its a hard deal with balance my Husband had to understand that my job is priority I have to deal with him getting shipped off unexpectedly and he has to deal with m getting called in unexpectedly. This being said usually I work myself sick Ive done it before where Ive come in stayed late gone home been up way early as a repeat.

Its a matter of getting yourself in a routine I start school soon too so its anothr thing to kick into the balance

 

[LoneStarSoldier]

I'm one with the trend as well. I go to school FT along with ROTC which is another job in itself, FT job with EMS, weekend Drills every month, and volunteer firefighter duties. I don't know what exactly to do to find a balance, maybe it's different for everyone. I refuse to work on weekends though (when I don't have drills) so that way maybe I can spend some time with the wife and relax. I guess one positive action to take is to look at everything in a small perspective. Take one at a time, hour by hour if you have to. If, on Monday, you think to yourself 'Ugh the week is barely starting', you won't make it through the day/week. Think to yourself how many hours you have to lunch, get a reason to be motivated. Remember why you're doing what you're doing, get something in your head that keeps you going. Also, try not to get fat. The nutrition in EMS is garbage (in most areas), try to stay fit/healthy it'll help with managing stress and you'll be able to do your job better.

 

[firetender]

What the Hey...I'll bite!

So, how did you do on this one, MMiz?

 

[mycrofft]

I retired and spend too much time on EMTLIFE.

Sort of MMIZ in reverse.

I often wonder how the site Gods are doing, a website like this is like team whackamole, with rhesus monkeys for teammates and every seventh mole is a cobra.

 

[AJ Hidell]

Those who want to find balance will. Those who don't won't. It's that simple.

It's a job, not a lifestyle.

 

[clibb]

Golf and Hockey. That's my options to get away from EMS. But right now I'm in field training, so my life is 100% EMS.

 

[Sasha]

with rhesus monkeys

Don't insult Chimpie by calling him another speices!

 

[Handsome Rob]

When I'm hitting that point, I slow down and consider why I am doing what I'm doing and if, in the long run, it matters THAT much (as in, "am I the only one that could do this job?" etc). If the answer is no, then I force myself to go home, not answer the phone, etc.

It boils down to the same crap they teach in EMT and Medic school: Is it safe for me to be here? Except the answer in this situation requires a little more deep thought. Is it going to cost me more in the long run, than it gains anyone now?

Also, beer. Stone IPA. Lots.

 

[fortsmithman]

Social life, what's that. I play WoW and do other stuff.