In the 2021 Survey, we asked officers to share their self-care routines to avoid burnout. Thanks to all who shared with us!

You can read all unedited responses here!

Here are some responses to highlight:

• Actually using my vacation days instead of wasting them.
• Advancing in the agency and taking on different jobs and roles.
• Already there sir.
• Always treat people the way you would want to be treated.
• Attend trainings that I can utilize in my day to day duties.
• Avoid Lawyers as much as I can.
• BE MENTALY PREPARED TO CONDUCT THE TRAINING.
• Before and after each shift, I sit in my drive way to decompress for a little while.
• Being a reserve
• Being the beer police, you avoid burnout!
• BINGE WATCH NETFLIX AND PET MY DOG
• Bonfires and beer or riding my motorcycle. Sometimes standing on my porch and waving my wiener at passing cars.
• Buy shoes
• candy crush
• Change up daily routine
• Checking all equipment before starting
• coaching son’s sports!
• come home go for peaceful walk around property
• Communication with my husband who is also an LEO and working out
• Controlled Breathing
• Cooking
• counting the days till retirement. knowing there is a end lol.
• Doing something away from the county.
• Don’t make your job your personality
• Don’t work multiple police jobs. If you need extra income, work a normal citizen job to stay in touch with humanity. Constantly wearing the same job hat and doing the same role burns you out so much faster.
• Drink a ton of water!
• Eat properly and get enough sleep
• Enjoying little things like the small wins that we get very now and then. Also, when I am on vacation I get permission to not be on call so I can focus on my family.
• Exercise and interacting with people who are NOT in law enforcement.
• FAMILY! My kids are involved in performing arts so we are always busy (pre-covid)
• Find a good pair of ears to vent to
• Flying drones.
• Have a positive attitude going into each day
• Having a close relationship with my department peers and peer support.
• Having hobbies, exercise, and leaving work at work. You can be a good person without the uniform on.
• Having time to unwind in the evening
• I always put my favorite song on the way home and blast it. It gets me out of the jail funk on the way home. I also try to be upbeat when everyone else is not. While it might not help those around me all the time, I feel it helps me keep a positive mind set.
• I am a boxing coach part time and i love that job! Exercise is key!
• I am a work acholic. Really don’t have one
• I conduct a lot of mental bitching. It really seems to help.
• I do not have one; I am very burnt out.
• I don’t understand the question!!
• I don’t work a second LEO job. Time away from this work helps me decompress and reminds me its not all doom and gloom.
• I go enjoy shooting with my dad. I exercise when the opportunity is there.
• I just try to remember sitting the the pd lobby wanting to work here and try to remember what I actually love about this job. And then I remember how local politicial sucks. 
• I like to make knives and when I can not I like to do walking meditation
• i play competition paintball and lift weights
• I retired just do this for fun now 🙂
• I take a drive in the county
• I’m a hermit…
• I’m an SRO, so recess is good!
• I’m in my prime, no burnout here. But seriously vacations help.
• I’ve been at the job long enough I do not suffer burnout.
• Kids and Grandkids
• Knowing I retire in less than a year and a half
• laugh more than I cry.
• Listening to audiobooks.
• Listening to hard rock music on my way home from work, but not Metallica more like Five Finger Death Punch.
• Ludicrous amounts of coffee
• make it fun
• Make sure to just walk away for a few
• Mental health days. Travel, hobbies, pastimes, hang out with friends!
• Metallica
• Miller Lite
• Non law enforcement social circle….
• One “black out” day a week. Tech free day
• Petting chickens. Yes, I’m serious. Also working out daily.
• Pickleball and Mountain Biking.
• planning for retirement
• Police softball
• raising animals
• REMINDER THAT THE BILL NEED PAID
• Remove myself. When I am home, I am home. Leave work at work and do not even think about it. 
• Retire in 124 days…..tha’ts what I do! lol
• Retirement on the horizon
• Ride my Harley and have “snacks.”
• Self-care is camping trips to the middle of nowhere. Then while im there I yell at the top of my lungs and cuss out every person who wronged me recently. Very therapeutic.
• Spa Day
• spiritual foundation
• take a mental health day!
• TAKE OFF ABOUT 6 TIMES A YEAR GO ON VACATION
• Talking things over with co-workers
• talking to family and friends, pastor if needed
• Tequila
• The 30 second break.
• The gym, playing poker, and just sitting and doing nothing
• Vodka
• Watching Moyars consulting videos 😉
• When I go 10-42 I am my self, take the monkey suit off and not think about it till 10-41.
• Whiskey
• Wine Making…. and drinking
• Working out and differentiating between co workers and personal friendships. Separating work and home.
• You have to have a hobby. Something to get you out of reality for a while.