Supporting the Transitions to and From Work

Together, discuss the following questions:

• What are the transition times in our family?
• What can we do together to make transitions smoother?
• How can we share our feelings and needs on the days when we need more time before re-engaging with family?
• How can we negotiate transition times on challenging days (including setting an end point to the transition time)?
• How can we support one another during this time?

It can be helpful to communicate your level of distress during transition times. The following steps outline skills that allow for effective communication and planning:

• Awareness:

Take a moment to focus on how you are feeling during transition times.

For example: Is there tension in your body? Are you able to focus? How reactive are you? etc.

• Communication:

Some people find it helpful to communicate by rating the level of distress on a scale of 1 (no distress) to 10 (very high distress). Others come up with a brief way to communicate a high level of distress.

For example: Saying, “I’ve had a bad shift, I’m going to come home and give you a hug, but then I’m going to need some time alone to unwind.”

• Planning Ahead:

Together, negotiate a plan for what transition times will look like when a high level of distress has been communicated.

For example: A PSP family member or SSO might put an object on the kitchen table (upside down coffee cup) as a non-verbal cue that the day has been difficult, and they need some time to recover (e.g., put the headphones on and listen to music or go for a run).