Workplace Wednesday | Three Good Things

photo credit / text added

Do you ever feel a little down about your job? Do you ever come home from work and all you can remember about your day is that one IEP meeting that didn't go so well, or the one child who didn't respond to your treatment the way you expected? By the end of your day, have you forgotten all about the parent who thanked you for everything you do or the child who looked up at you with a big grin and said, "I did it!"?

Please tell me I'm not the only one who has days like this.

Don't get me wrong, I love being an occupational therapist. And with that love for my job comes a desire (sometimes unhealthy) to do everything just right, all of the time. I know that is not realistic at all, but I just want the children I work with to grow and succeed. As an occupational therapist, I want to set them up for success. I set extremely high expectations for both myself and for the children and families that I work with. That's generally a good thing, but if I'm not careful, I can set myself up for disappointment (or worse - burnout).

Last fall, I took an online class through edX called The Science of Happiness. This is a class I took just for my own personal enjoyment, but I quickly discovered that I was learning strategies that were helping me both personally and professionally. There is one strategy in particular that I would like to share with you today in which you spend some time at the end of your day reflecting on three good things from the day.

As I was completing this exercise, I quickly discovered that one or more of my "good things" happened while at work, and in competing this exercise I was beginning to feel more confident, competent and satisfied with my work. Pretty awesome, right? And it's so simple!

Here's how it works:

1. Spend a few minutes to reflect on your day and write down three good things that happened.
2. Write down how each thing made you feel (e.g. happy, proud, excited, etc).
3. Write down what caused this "thing" to happen. 

See? It's simple! It's easy to rush through this and just think about three good things from your day, but the reflection that takes place in steps two and three are crucial to really understanding your role in making these positive things happen.

For example, one day, one of my "good things" was that a child wrote the letter A all by himself. We had been working so hard on diagonals and then one day, he got it! I was so excited and I was so happy for him! When I took the time to reflect on why he was able to do that, I realized that it didn't just happen out of nowhere. It was due to his hard work, his parents follow through at home, and my effective therapy techniques.

It is so easy for me to brush off all of the successes of the kids I work with as being entirely due to their hard work and perseverance, but it's only fair to give myself some credit for setting them up for success. I found this exercise opened my eyes to what I was doing well and making me think about other ways I could be an even better therapist. Win-win.

Ways to use incorporate "three good things" into your practice:

1. While I think this is a great exercise to reflect on your day as a whole, if you're feeling in a rut at work, it might be beneficial to reflect on only your work day a few times per week.
2. If it feels like too much of a time commitment to do this on a daily basis, try it once or twice a week.
3. Are you a fieldwork educator? Try having your fieldwork student use this exercise to reflect on what went well during their day. Students can become easily overwhelmed with all of the new information and this can help them focus on what's going well.
4. Are you an OT student? This isn't just for those already working! Try it out as you go through your days as a student.
5. Encourage your colleagues to try it out, as well. Spend five minutes of your next staff meeting reflecting on three good things from your day (or week).
6. Encourage your clients to use this strategy (even kids!). Those who are on the receiving end of OT may feel like everything is focused on what they can't do. Help them focus on what they can do!

What do you think? Is this something that you will try? If you do, please let me know how it goes!

For more information:

edX: The Science of Happiness
Dr. Seligman explains Three Good Things

Workplace Wednesday | Facebook groups

A few weeks ago I told a parent that her homework for the week was to quit Facebook. She was falling into the comparison trap, and while I half-joking, I was definitely half-serious. I think Facebook distorts reality and causes all of us to compare our everyday life to all of the best moments that everyone else chooses to share. For parents of children with special needs, these comparisons are only magnified.

So what was the mom's response? "I've seriously thought about it, but the groups are so good."

Which got me to thinking. Facebook groups can be a wealth of information, as well as a way to connect to others in a similar situation. I imagine this is especially helpful for parents who have children with rare conditions, and who might not meet anyone locally who is in the same boat as them. That's one way Facebook (and social media in general) can be awesome.

Are you a member of any Facebook groups? Lately, I seem to only check Facebook to see what's going on in the groups I'm in. In my non-OT life, I've joined Facebook groups for a local running club and a group for my family (where we can share photos and stories without sharing with every person we've ever met).

In the therapy world, these are the Facebook groups that I belong to:

Therapy Bloggers: This is a closed group for physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists who have blogs. While I already followed many of these bloggers blogs, it's been a great way to connect.
Early Intervention Occupational Therapists: This is a closed group for occupational therapists practicing in early intervention. The field of early intervention can feel a bit isolated at times, so this is a great way to connect with others.
Pediatric Occupational Therapists: This is a closed group open to all pediatric occupational therapists. This is a very large group and while I don't actively participate in this one as much, I do check it for information and resources periodically.

A word of caution when using Facebook groups: even though these are "closed groups" there is no way to really make sure that only therapists are members of the groups, so always be careful with the kind of questions you are putting out there. For more sensitive or controversial topics, I recommend using the members-only forums on AOTA's OT Connections.

Are you a member of any Facebook groups? What are your thoughts on Facebook? Do you think these social media groups are good for connecting with others? Or do they just make you feel overwhelmed?

Workplace Wednesday | Beating the back to work blues

 

Upon arriving home from vacation on last week, I developed a little case of back to work blues. Can you blame me? I spent a week in Tahoe, sleeping in, hanging out with friends, resting, relaxing, hiking, and swimming. A few of my favorite occupations.
Don't worry, it didn't take me long to get back into the swing of things. I find it's always helpful to focus on the positives in life, but it's especially helpful when readjusting to a new routine. Here are a few of the positives that helped me get back into the work routine.

...looking at my schedule and realizing my first client on Monday was scheduled for 10:15...grateful for the foresight to make my first day back a light day.

...getting back into my work routine helped inspire me to restart all of my other routines that make life so good...morning runs, followed by a big bowl of oatmeal and a cup of green tea...picking up my CSA box and discovering the week's bounty...blogging...Sunday brunch...

...grateful for a lovely caseworker who didn't mind at all that I took ten(!) days to return her call...in fact when she answered, she said "aren't you on vacation? Don't call me if you're on vacation!"

...arriving a client's house and greeted with, "abbyabbyabby!" Gotta love having a name that is easy to pronounce :)

...tweeting with my OT twin Cheryl.

...one of my clients who was thisclose to walking before I went on vacation is now walking like she's been doing it her whole life. What a difference a week can make!

...loving how a restful vacation leaves me recharged and re-energized.

Workplace Wednesday | Last minute cancellations

Last minute therapy cancellations are always going to happen. Kids get sick, parents are busy, and kids have tons of appointments. There's just no way around therapy cancellations, and honestly, that's when I do my paperwork, so I don't always mind too much. But I do try to avoid the last minute cancellations so I can plan my days a little better.

Here are a few things I do to limit the number of last minute cancellations that I get:

• With new clients or evaluations, I always call to confirm the day before.
• With some clients, I call or send a text message to confirm the appointment for the first month.
• I encourage parents to save my cell phone number in their phone. I'm realistic and know they might forget my name, so I recommend that they put me in as "OT Abby" or even "Thursday OT Abby" so if they have to cancel therapies for a particular day, they can just look in their phone to see who's coming that day.

Therapists,what do you do to limit last minute cancellations? Parents, what do you do to keep yourself organized and remember all of your child's therapists?

Workplace Wednesday | A job is a job

With graduation season upon us. I'd like to get on a soapbox for a moment.

Most days I love being an OT, but let's be honest, a job is just that. A job. Sure some jobs are more awesome than others, and I tend to believe OT is one of those jobs that is mostly pretty awesome. BUT. As general advice to anyone trying to figure out what to do with their life, don't forget that a job is just that. A job. It's not (and should not be) your whole life. It certainly helps to like your job, and (maybe?) even better, love your job, but at the end of the day, don't forget that it's just a job.

And I think that's okay.

It's okay to not love your job every. single. day.

This is something I've struggled to come to terms with for some time. Parents trust me with their children. Parents want nothing less than the absolute best for their child and they trust me to help their child. No pressure there. But some days I'm tired, or losing the battle with my allergies, or would just rather spend the day in bed reading a good book. Or all of the above.

During the keynote speech at the AOTA Annual Conference, one of the Wounded Warriors speaking (sorry, I don't remember which one), said something along the lines of, "OT is everything. Your job is so much more than just a job. Occupational therapists make a difference every single day."

Upon hearing these words, I felt a surge of pride. Yes! I am an occupational therapist. And I change people's lives! And then I thought, "whoa, that's a lot of pressure."

So I'm giving you all permission to let go of the pressure. Yes, occupational therapists are given the opportunity to help people when they are in their most vulnerable states. And that's pretty awesome. And special. And a huge responsibility. So don't take it for granted. But also don't put too much pressure on yourself to love every minute of your job. It's okay. And it's normal.

Getting off my soapbox now.


I'll leave you with this little story:

When I worked in schools, I loved school vacations. But you know what else I loved? Going back and seeing my students after the breaks. I love traveling and going on vacations. Whenever it's time to go back to work after a vacation, I am sad that my vacation is over, but I am also ready. I miss "my kids" and look forward to going back to see them. That's how I know that I love my job, even if I don't always love it every single minute.


PS - Some recommended reading:

In the name of love

A life beyond "do what you love"

Do you think you will have a career that you love?

PPS - I'm headed out on a mini-vacation today and I can't wait to be back on the East Coast! And I also can't wait to get back to all of "my kids" next week :)

Workplace Wednesday | The therapy bag dilemma

Ahhh...the therapy bag.

I recently went to a home visit as the developmental therapist was leaving. With a bag that was, no joke, almost as big as her.

I'm not a believer in bringing a bag full of toys with me to home visits. I used to do that. For years, actually. And I felt funny about it the whole time, but that's what everyone I worked with did. I was new to early intervention and I wasn't yet confident enough as a therapist to forge my own path.

But after leaving early intervention for two years, I'm trying to start fresh. Without a therapy bag full of toys and fun activities.

And it is hard.

It's just so much easier to walk in the door with a plan. To walk in with five toys that will target the developmental skills I'd like to work on that day.

I'm already finding myself slip up from time to time. I feel like parents want the bag of toys. And even expect it. But I regret bringing in a bag every time I do it.

So I'm trying. Trying so hard to let go of the therapy bag and the comfort that comes with it. I'll keep you posted on my experience of stepping outside of this particular comfort zone.

I have a feeling this will be a recurring topic here on Workplace Wednesdays. If you work in early intervention, what are your thoughts on the therapy bag?

Workplace Wednesday | Changing jobs

Welcome to Workplace Wednesday, a  place where I will share my thoughts on all things work-related. 

Today I'd like to talk a bit about changing jobs. This is something I've done a fair amount in my nearly 8 years as an occupational therapist. Four times, in three different states, over the course of seven years, to be exact. I would not recommend changing jobs that often, as it definitely raises some red flags with employers. The first question I now get asked at interviews is "So, why have you moved so much?" followed by "Do you plan to stay in this area for awhile?" We move frequently because of my husband's job, and I find employers are generally okay with that answer. And then I usually tip toe around the second question, because honestly, who really knows where they'll be in two years?

While changing jobs presents with many challenges (learning the culture of a workplace, new assessments, new reports, new kiddos, new everything...), there are some upsides to changing jobs. Here are a few of the things I've experienced that I wouldn't have without my unique job hopping.

The opportunity to work in a variety of settings. Hospitals, public schools, private schools, charter schools, pediatric clinics, home based early intervention. You name it, I've probably done it.

Kids are kids are kids. Kids everywhere are still just kids. Kids on the east coast are just like kids on west coast.

Cultures and people are different. I've had the opportunity to work with families from so many different walks of life, as well as co-workers so very different from myself. I'm so very grateful for what these experiences have taught me about myself and the world I live in.

Public education is not the same everywhere. Eye opening, but I'm grateful for the opportunity to see the differences with my own eyes.

New opportunities and new skills. Every job is different, which leads to new opportunities to learn and grow. A change in jobs took me from learning all about feeding therapy and infant massage to executive function skills and Social Thinking. Growth I'm so glad that I experienced.

Flexibility. This is a key trait for any occupational therapist. Changing jobs (and moving) frequently definitely made me a more flexible person and therapist.

I know what I want. I can walk into an interview nearly stress free. I know what I like and what I don't like in a workplace. I know what questions to ask and what to look for.  

I can always find a job. Finding a new job has never been a problem, despite my resume looking a bit wonky. So grateful to work in a profession that allows me to pick up and move easily.

The world is big and I am small. This might be the lesson I am most grateful for. It is so easy to get wrapped up in the daily grind of a workplace. Ultimately, I am just one person, doing the best I can, in the environment I am in. I can't do it all or know it all, but I can bring my unique experiences to the table and make a difference, however big or small it may be.

AOTA's OT Practice recently had a feature on finding the best job and knowing when to leave a bad one. While I wouldn't necessarily say I LOVED all of my jobs, every job I've left was because of relocation. I did find that the article had interesting advice on leaving and changing jobs, whatever your reason for doing so. AOTA members can check out the article here.

Have you changed jobs frequently? Or have you stayed in one place for many years? What lessons have you learned from changing (or not changing) jobs?