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How to switch off your inner social worker over Christmas

Community Care readers share their top tips for taking a break over the festive period

By on December 19, 2014 in Workforce, Your Say
A santa toy and christmas tree
Picture: Kevin Dooley (Flickr)

1. “I have a hectic few weeks making sure every safeguard possible is in place. Like most social workers I take my work home with me in my head but for my own wellbeing I need to try to switch off and let the safety net that’s in place catch anything that may occur.” – Kathryn

2. “I recognise that the only way to carry on being an effective practitioner is to have some down time”- @KerryF_says

@CommunityCare #SwitchoffSW plus twinkly lights, my family and ice cold Baileys ☺

— Kerry says (@KerryF_says) December 2, 2014

3. “Having a 1 to 1 pre-Christmas sessions with my yoga mentor. Bliss! Self-care in child protection work is vital.”- Jocelyn
4. “Tidy up a messy room, get in your PJs and have a glass of red wine.”- Rhys

5. “Make sure you mix with lots of different families to show you that there are some well cared for children out there.”- Helen

6. “How does a social worker switch off their inner social worker? They can’t! Keep loving and get plenty of sleep.”- Edd

7. “As my duty week falls over the Christmas week this year, I think it’ll be impossible!”- Luke

8. “I do what I do every day: spend time with family, go for a coffee, swim gym and spinning classes. Sometimes it’s hard to switch off, but it’s a must.”- Sarah

9. “I walk out the office door and never work from home. It’s my home, not my office.”- Karen

10. “What I do is part of who I am. I don’t switch off a part of me. In fact I turn it on and go volunteering.”- Bell

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5 Responses to How to switch off your inner social worker over Christmas

  1. Chrissie December 19, 2014 at 10:54 am #

    I’m on call 🙁 but happy christmas to everyone!

  2. Nabu December 19, 2014 at 11:40 am #

    I am looking forward to doing yoga and meditate. It’s the ultimate relaxation. What’s tv and reading a couple of good books. Social workers are human too! Happy holidays fellow social workers and colleagues in the field.

  3. Sabine ebert-Forbes December 19, 2014 at 1:34 pm #

    Nabu, I like your approach! As social workers we have to remember that we are ordinary human beings to and not superman/superwoman. If we had a magic wand we would not turn up at the office, but do our work remote in an environment we love.

    Just rediscover your inner child, nurture it and you nurture yourselves at the same time. Gpo for walks, connect with nature, better than any booze!

  4. Bernie Walsh December 20, 2014 at 12:16 am #

    It is difficult to turn off totally. We are surrounded by the pressure of Christmas. Of course there is the enjoyment of Christmas but there is also the expectation of what I see as what we have to do. It is not the tradition but the format. The necessity to buy because everyone does. Then we have the need to buy more because everyone does, even though to buy extends beyond what can be afforded … We see the distress and despair and if we care, and we do, we feel that despair too…

  5. Christina December 30, 2014 at 12:44 pm #

    I was on call all over Christmas, but I survived :o) it is a calling and I continued to love on Christmas Day (not working at all that day) I loved but then found balance by turning off my phone and being with my own family.