Stop, Drop, and Roll – Good Advice All the Time!
“Stop, Drop, and Roll” is the simple safety technique for children in case of fire, but this technique could also be applied to our lives all the time. When we think about our family life, social life, and career life, we are constantly putting out fires, while sometimes putting enormous pressure on ourselves and forgetting about our own wellbeing and/or welfare.
Often, we are so passionate about what we do for our customers, our students, our coworkers, and our families, there seems to be little time left for ourselves. This limited time may lead to burnout, overwork, fatigue and stress. According to a 2013 survey from the American Psychological Association Center for Organizational Excellence, more than onethird of working Americans indicated experiencing chronic work stress. Could you be among the working individuals who are stressed and have burnout?
The next time you start to fill overwhelmed with all the fires in your life, follow the “Stop, Drop, and Roll” strategy. A colleague from Virginia Extension shares these thoughts:
- The first step is to Stop and assess the situation before doing anything and making the wrong decision. Ask yourself: Is this something I can handle? Is this something I need others to assist me in handling? Is this something I should handle? Is this something out of my control? Is this something that I should delegate?
- The second step is to Drop and determine if there are available resources to handle the situation and which method would be best to handle the situation. The resources could be in the form of human assistance, financial help, knowledge, skills and materials. Sometimes, we just need to drop something altogether.
- The third step is to Roll and implement your plan to resolve the situation.
One of the most important points about the “Stop, Drop, and Roll” technique, is that you will not need to keep rehashing the situation. Just as children are instructed to roll safely away from the fire, he/she does not go back in to get burned; so the same sentiments apply. When you complete the “Stop, Drop, and Roll” strategy, do not keep returning to the situation, or you might get burned.
The “Stop, Drop, and Roll” strategy could be applied to any situation social, family, work, or personal. Therefore, make sure you take care of yourselves, so you can be more effective as a parent, employee, friend, or co-worker.
4-H Exchange Trip
On behalf of the 4-H members and leaders who will be traveling to Montana this summer for a 4-H Exchange trip, a big thank you goes to those of you who have supported their fund-raising efforts. The group has almost reached its monetary goal, but they still have a way to go, so if you are interested in helping them out, contact our office.
As many of you know, this will be the third Exchange trip in which Hopkins County 4-H members have participated. The first experience was with Eau Claire, Wisconsin, in 2013, thanks to ties through Susie and Bernie Thesing. The second exchange trip to Smythe County, Virginia, in 2015, was the result of a connection between David Zahn and the Ag Agent in Virginia.
Julie Hutchins-Thurston, former Hopkins County 4-H agent, is now employed with Montana Extension in Sanders County (Thompson Falls), and she has extended the invitation to Montana. Our group will leave on or around July 22, and will have the opportunity to explore new territory, exchange 4-H ideas, and gain leadership skills through the experience. We will then host Montana 4-H’ers, summer, 2018.
Summer Sewing Workshop
Plans are well underway for a summer sewing workshop, to take place Tuesday thru Thursday, August 15-17, at the Extension Office. If you would like to learn how to sew, or need a refresher course, come join us! I’ll also have instructions and examples for making t-shirt quilts for anyone wishing to put those old t-shirts to good use.
Contact the Extension Office for if you are interested – 903-885-3443. More details to come, but save the date! (Registration limited to first eight people.)
Closing Thought
The game of life is a lot like football. You have to tackle your problems, block your fears, and score your points when you get the opportunity – unknown
Johanna Hicks
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
Family & Consumer Sciences
1200-B W. Houston
P.O.Box 518
Sulphur springs, TX 75483
903-885-3443 – phone
903-439-4909 – Fax
[email protected]
