metro >> family counseling
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22
March 21 • 2013
JN
e all suffer burnout at some
point, but it seems to be
happening now at an ever-
increasing rate. Many of us at work feel
pressured to be increasingly produc-
tive. Overexertion can bring
on depression and anxiety.
We hunker down in our
homes where we hope we
can recharge, but do we or
can we?
Our reliance on electron-
ics to communicate has
generated an unwritten
expectation: Always be avail-
able. We are accessible to
work, friends and businesses
through phones, computers
and social media. If we don't
answer or respond to a text
quickly enough, our friends
and families worry. We rarely take the
risk of being unplugged. It seems like
more people stare at their phones than
each other. Like Pavlov's dogs, we have
become conditioned to the phone's
familiar chime. Unthinkingly, we reach
to answer it no matter who we are with
or what we are doing.
The struggle to prioritize home,
family or personal expectations makes
fmding ways to recharge difficult. Due
to work demands, many of us access
our office computers from home. Too
often we are forced to choose between
answering emails or reading a story to
our child.
To recharge, look to your personal
interests, the ones you too often push
aside, to find solace. These can come in
many forms. Find something enjoyable
that lets you relax and regain your vital-
ity, whether it be working out, cooking
or doing puzzles.
Children also need opportunities to
recharge. Ever-present computers, gam-
ing units or iPods are taken for granted
and, for some children, are substitutes
for absent or over-involved family or
friends.
In decades past, a child would go out
and play. Neighborhood activities were
unorganized. They just depended on
whoever was available to participate.
Kids played ball, jumped rope or kicked
the can until the streetlights went on or
they were called in for dinner.
Today, spontaneous play has given
way to overscheduling. Parents now
believe that children require systematic
stimulation, whether socially, physically
or educationally. Dance classes or orga-
nized sports compete with homework
and religious education, reducing the
opportunity just to play or
dream. In fact, children will
more likely discharge than
recharge energy.
Many children find it hard
to unwind because they rare-
ly do. Their minds are con-
tinuously looking for ways
to release what gets pent up.
When there is nothing to do,
they become uncomfortable,
fidgety or impatient. Parents
may even find it difficult to
get their children to fall or
stay asleep.
Families also need to
recharge as a unit. One place to start
is when family members arrive home.
Rather than going their separate ways,
redirect them to a common place to do
homework or projects. Encourage them
to talk — without being distracted by a
computer or TV.
Another way families can recharge is
to return to the old practice of sharing
a meal together. While gathered at the
table, discuss ideas about vacations,
current events, even personal issues.
Committing the family to spending
time together may necessitate resched-
uling activities or recording favorite
TV shows for later viewing. Doing so
makes a statement about the family's
commitment to each other.
Families can re-energize away from
home as well. This can be as simple as
taking a walk, volunteering, or attend-
ing religious or cultural events. These
endeavors strengthen family values and
give the community its next generation
of potential leaders.
However you choose to recharge
yourself, getting the support of others
will surely help. Doing anything that
improves your mental and physical
health will benefit your family and com-
munity and add a spark to your life.
❑
Dr. Daniel Rosenbaum is a clinical social
worker at Counseling Associates Inc.
in West Bloomfield, where he counsels
children, teens and adults experiencing
family or personal psychological problems.
Reach him at (248) 626-1500.