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In a role like paramedicine, productivity is often measured by output: shifts completed, skills maintained, CPD logged. The culture of "go again" can leave little room for pause, let alone permission to rest. But here’s the truth: you weren’t built to operate at 100% intensity, 100% of the time. And rest? It isn’t a luxury. It’s a strategy. True rest isn’t just about stopping, it’s about switching gears with intention. It's creating space to reset your nervous system, reflect on who you're becoming, and rebuild energy so you can stay in the game long term. This week, we’re reframing rest not as a step back, but as a smart, necessary move forward. 💬 This Week’s Nudge: Redefine What Rest Looks Like for You Too often, rest is misunderstood as doing nothing. But for many paramedics, stillness feels unnatural. That’s okay. Rest can mean: Learning something new just for interest (not accreditation) Getting out of your regular environment Moving your body in non-work ways (yoga, swimming, walking with music) Spending time with people who know you beyond your role This week, give yourself permission to explore rest as something active, nourishing, and personal. The goal isn’t to stop being useful ... it’s to reconnect with your energy. Ask yourself:🧠 “What would rest look like for me this week if it didn’t mean doing nothing?” 🧠 Habit Hack: Build a “Micro-Rest” Practice Into Your Week You don’t need a full day off to benefit from rest. Start small with micro-rest moments that recalibrate your nervous system and interrupt the grind. Try this: 🕒 Choose a time slot (e.g. 15–30 mins, 2–3 times this week) 🎯 Choose a non-work, non-obligatory activity (ideally something enjoyable or novel) 📓 Reflect after – “Did this make me feel more or less like myself?” Examples: A slow walk without your phone Listening to music that energises you Reading a book completely unrelated to work Learning something random (origami, coffee brewing, photography) You don’t owe anyone 24/7 performance. But you do owe yourself regular moments to restore your attention, your energy, and your sense of self. ✅ Final ThoughtsSustainable careers aren’t built on constant output. They’re built on rhythm.This week, let rest be part of your rhythm ... and watch what it brings back into focus. Respondr is here to support you to make these small, incremental changes that will lead to big results in the long term, click on the link below to join the Respondr Network.

In high-performance roles like paramedicine, rest is often framed as something passive, something you do when you’re run down, burnt out, or finally off roster. But the truth is, rest is far more powerful, and purposeful, than just ‘stopping’. When we think of rest only as doing nothing, we miss a huge opportunity for renewal, self-awareness, and even growth. At Respondr, we believe it’s time to reframe rest as something that keeps your career sustainable, not something you only earn after burnout. 🧠 Rest as a Reset Button for Your Identity In paramedicine, it’s easy to become defined by your role, your shifts, your team, the adrenaline, the routine. But you are more than your roster.Stepping away, even briefly, gives your mind the chance to reconnect with who you are outside the uniform. This isn’t indulgence. It’s essential.When you allow space to do something different, you recalibrate your nervous system, your priorities, and your perspective. 🔁 Doing Something Different Rebuilds You Rest can take many forms. But the kind of rest that replenishes you usually shares three qualities: It’s non-urgent It’s non-clinical It’s personally meaningful That might look like: Starting a side project that excites you Spending time in nature without a plan Learning for fun, not for compliance Letting yourself explore an identity that’s not based on being the responder These shifts remind your brain, and your body, that there’s a life beyond the call cycle.And when you return, you’ll bring more depth, clarity, and presence with you. 📝 Takeaway: Rest as Reconnection The next time you’re off shift or taking a break, don’t ask yourself what you should be doing.Ask:“What’s something different I could do that reconnects me with who I am outside of work?” That’s rest.That’s growth.And that’s how sustainable careers are built. Respondr are here to support and guide you, allow you to understand your options, connect you with the right support and resources. Click on the link below to join the Respondr Network.

🧠 What’s It About? This book is based on The Rest Test, a global research project where over 18,000 people ranked the most restful activities in their lives. What Claudia Hammond uncovers is powerful: rest doesn’t always mean sleep or stopping, it often looks like small, intentional moments of mental relief. For first responders constantly exposed to high-alert situations, The Art of Rest offers a science-backed reminder: you don’t have to stop working to start resting, you just need to shift your mental state. 🔟 The 10 Most Restful Activities ... And What They Mean for You Here’s the global top 10 from the research, with a Respondr twist on how each can be applied to paramedic life: 1. Reading Why it helps: Escapes the present moment and offers quiet mental focus.Try this: Keep a book in your bag or station locker that has nothing to do with work—just enjoyment. 2. Being in nature Why it helps: Resets your nervous system and promotes calm.Try this: Use your day off to walk in a local reserve or beach—no earbuds, no destination. Just presence. 3. Being alone Why it helps: Breaks overstimulation, recharges your social batteries.Try this: Take 10 minutes after a shift or before work in a quiet spot (car, park, backyard) to sit with no demands. 4. Listening to music Why it helps: Regulates mood, shifts your emotional state.Try this: Build a “downshift” playlist—music that helps you release stress from the day or transition out of uniform. 5. Doing nothing in particular Why it helps: Frees the brain from task-switching and goal setting.Try this: Allow yourself a 15-minute window to daydream, stare out the window, or lie down—no guilt, no “productivity.” 6. Walking Why it helps: Gentle movement plus mental clarity = double benefit.Try this: Walk after your last night shift, or start your days off with a solo, aimless walk—no agenda, just pace. 7. Taking a bath Why it helps: Combines sensory comfort with full-body relaxation.Try this: If you’re not a bath person, recreate the feeling—warm shower, low lights, no phone, post-shift silence. 8. Daydreaming Why it helps: Triggers creativity and relieves cognitive pressure.Try this: Let your mind wander. When commuting (as a passenger), cooking, or even folding laundry—let thoughts drift. 9. Watching TV Why it helps: Offers distraction and escape when done with intention.Try this: Choose something light, funny, or nostalgic. Avoid doom-scrolling or intense thrillers post-shift. 10. Mindfulness or meditation Why it helps: Activates your parasympathetic nervous system and helps emotional regulation.Try this: Start with 2–3 minutes. Use free apps like Smiling Mind or Insight Timer. Try guided breathing after night shifts. 💬 Why This Matters for First Responders Rest isn’t just a response to exhaustion ... it’s a foundation for growth.Claudia Hammond’s research shows that rest is deeply personal and doesn’t need to be extreme or time-consuming. For first responders, these restful activities offer realistic, manageable ways to recalibrate your body and mind even between shifts. 🔁 Takeaway Thought: Rest isn’t a reward. It’s a rhythm.And building it into your week, even in small ways, keeps you sharp, grounded, and more connected to yourself. You can access The Art of Rest: How to Find Respite in the Modern Ageby Claudia Hammond via print, digital or audio format. For more resources there is a link to her webpage below.

You don’t have to stop everything to rest.For many paramedics, full stillness can feel uncomfortable, even disorienting. But that doesn’t mean you can’t reset. There’s another way to recharge: it’s called active rest. Active rest is about shifting gears, not shutting down. It’s about giving your brain and body a break from routine without losing momentum or purpose. Below are five ways to rest that allow you to keep moving ... but in ways that restore energy, creativity, and clarity. 1. 🎨 Try a Creative Outlet Whether it’s drawing, painting, writing, or music, creative play gives your brain freedom it doesn’t usually get on the job.You don’t need to be “good”, you just need to engage. Creativity balances the structure and pressure of clinical work with messiness, exploration, and flow. Try this: Pick up a sketchbook or try a digital art app Start a daily 3-line journal (no pressure, just patterns of thought) Make a playlist of music that shifts your mood 2. 🎓 Join a Short Course (Unrelated to Paramedicine) Learning outside of your field reminds you that you’re a dynamic person, not just a responder. It activates curiosity and can rebuild confidence in times of fatigue or uncertainty. Ideas: Language learning Intro to psychology, cooking, photography, coding, finance Online masterclasses or in-person workshops The goal isn’t productivity, it’s expansion. 3. 🌿 Go for a Walk Without a Goal No podcasts. No step targets. No calls. Just movement.This kind of walk helps discharge adrenaline and cortisol while encouraging presence and mental clarity. Rest tip:Let your mind wander. Pay attention to your surroundings. Walking without performance pressure helps restore attention and calm your nervous system. 4. 🤝 Volunteer Somewhere Different Volunteering in a non-clinical setting can shift your sense of purpose and remind you that your value extends far beyond the stretcher. Opportunities: Community gardens School programs Environmental clean-ups Men’s sheds or women’s community groups It’s a chance to connect with people who see you as a person, not just a professional. 5. 🍲 Cook Something Slow and Unfamiliar Let rest live in the ritual. Cooking can be grounding, sensory, and meditative, all while teaching patience and slowing you down. Try this: Choose a recipe that takes time Cook without distraction, ie. no TV or phone Focus on the process, not the outcome You’re not fuelling your body ... you’re fuelling your pace. 🧭 Final Thought: Rest Doesn’t Need to Look Like Rest to Work You don’t need to stop everything to take care of yourself.Sometimes the most powerful rest is simply choosing to do something different, just for you. Pick one of these this week. Try it. Reflect on how it makes you feel.It might just be the break your body and mind have been waiting for. Respondr are here to support and guide you, allow you to understand your options, connect you with the right support and resources. Click on the link below to join the Respondr Network.

We often treat career breaks like gaps to be justified. Something you have to explain away, especially in a profession as fast-paced and continuous as paramedicine. But what if a break doesn’t make you less ready ... it makes you more grounded? Time away—whether for parenting, caregiving, health, study, or rest ... changes how you show up. It softens your perspective, expands your empathy, and can give you a renewed sense of why you do this work in the first place. 🔍 What You Gained That Can’t Be Measured in CPD 🎒 The Hidden Upskilling Even outside clinical settings, you’ve been learning: Conflict resolution from parenting Emotional regulation from therapy Organisation and leadership from caregiving Systems thinking from academic study These aren’t side skills—they’re frontline tools. 💬 Better Patient Empathy Time away often helps you: Slow down Listen more Understand the patient journey beyond the stretcher This can be the difference between treating the illness and truly seeing the person. 🛤 Breaking the “Linear Career Myth” A thriving career doesn’t always go up in a straight line. Real growth includes: Pauses Side-steps Realignment with purpose Career sustainability often requires career flexibility. 🤝 Returners Change the Culture Teams benefit when returners bring: Perspective Maturity A calmer pace New energy that comes from refreshed purpose They remind others there’s more than one way to succeed in this profession. 🔄 Reflection Prompt: What new qualities or perspectives are you bringing back with you?Take 5 minutes to jot them down. You might be surprised by how much you’ve gained. Respondr are here to support and guide you, allow you to understand your options, connect you with the right support and resources. Click on the link below to join the Respondr Network.

Stepping back from the front line can feel like stepping away from progress. But learning from leaders in other sectors can offer new tools, perspectives, and inspiration, shaping your growth while you’re away, not just when you return. 🔑 Key Takeaways for First Responders 1. Leadership Is Personal, Not Positional Across the podcast, Darcy’s guests often reflect that true leadership isn’t about your job title, it’s about how you show up. ✅ Takeaway: Even if you’re not on-road right now, you can still lead, in your home, your community, or through how you manage your return. 🧠 Reflection: What values guide how you lead, regardless of your role? 2. Time Away Is Time to Rebuild Purpose Many guests (like Hugh van Cuylenburg from The Resilience Project or sports coach Alastair Clarkson) speak openly about the power of reflection, discomfort, and stepping back in order to grow. ✅ Takeaway: Taking a pause doesn’t mean falling behind. It can be a period of recalibration, where you rebuild your sense of purpose, values, and direction. 🧠 Reflection: What’s one belief about work or success that has shifted while you’ve been away? 3. Learning Happens in All Seasons Former AFL stars, Olympians, CEOs, and educators on the show often describe unexpected learning during their "non-peak" periods, times of injury, transition, or burnout. ✅ Takeaway: Growth isn’t exclusive to clinical practice. Listening to stories outside the paramedic world can spark creative thinking, empathy, and personal strategy. 🧠 Reflection: What are you learning about yourself right now that could make you a better paramedic in the future? 4. Identity Can Stretch and Evolve One repeated theme is the danger of tying your identity too tightly to a single role. Guests like Craig Foster and Layne Beachley talk about evolving identity and the emotional work of leaving one phase to enter another. ✅ Takeaway: You are more than the job. And when you return, you’re allowed to bring a new version of yourself to the role, one that’s shaped by lived experience, not just protocols. 🧠 Reflection: How has your sense of identity changed since you last worked full-time? ✍️ Final Thought for Respondr Readers: Listening to leaders outside of healthcare reminds us that the skills paramedics develop—resilience, decision-making, emotional control—are leadership skills in any field. While you’re away from the front line, fill your mind with new stories, new lessons, and new language for your next chapter. Growth doesn’t pause when you step off shift. It just takes a new form. Empowering Leaders with Luke Darcy blends curiosity and insight as it explores what drives great leadership across diverse fields. Through honest conversations with high-profile guests, the podcast unpacks modern leadership themes like collaboration, integrity, and reinvention—making it a valuable listen for anyone navigating growth or change. To listen to any episode of the Empowering Leaders podcast, click on the link below.

Returning to work after a break isn’t as simple as showing up to your first shift. Whether you’ve been away for months or years, there’s a whole layer of personal, professional, and emotional preparation that rarely gets talked about. You may have done the paperwork, renewed your CPD, and dusted off your uniform, but inside, you might still be asking: “Will I be good enough again?”“Have things changed too much while I was gone?”“Do I still belong here?” You’re not alone in those thoughts and you’re not wrong for having them. Returning to paramedicine isn’t a restart. It’s a reconnection. And like any reconnection, it takes time, structure, and self-compassion. 🔍 What You Might Not Expect When You Come Back 🧠 The Silent Fears Fear of not being sharp enough Worry that others have moved ahead Anxiety about re-integrating into team culture These are normal responses to change and they often fade with support and time. 🚑 The System Has Moved Too You might find: New clinical guidelines or tech Shift structure tweaks A different dynamic in your local team Give yourself time to adjust. Ask questions early and often. 🧰 The Practical Prep No One Talks About It’s not just about being clinically ready. It’s about: Having a comfortable, well-fitted uniform again Re-establishing your routine (meals, sleep, commute) Re-learning how to conserve energy during long shifts Finding your rhythm with new colleagues ✅ What Helps Most 📍 Do one ride-along or shadow shift before starting🤝 Reconnect with someone you trust in the team⏳ If possible, return gradually ... start part-time📝 Use journaling or short voice notes to track confidence and comfort levels over your first month Respondr are here to support and guide you, allow you to understand your options, connect you with the right support and resources. Click on the link below to join the Respondr Network.

Taking a break from your paramedic career isn’t rare, it’s reality. And yet, many first responders feel isolated or unsure when they’re not “all in.” Here’s what we want you to know: Your reasons are valid. Your path is your own. Below are five common (and completely legitimate) reasons paramedics take a step back, shift direction, or pause entirely ... and what’s often happening under the surface. 1️⃣ Parenthood or Caregiving Whether you’re caring for a newborn, a parent, or a partner, this season demands presence and flexibility.What you’re building: Emotional intelligence, boundary setting, time prioritisation 2️⃣ Injury or Burnout Recovery Your body and mind are part of your clinical toolkit. When they need rest, listening isn’t weakness ... it’s wisdom.What you’re building: Self-awareness, pacing, and sustainable professional habits 3️⃣ Mental Health Reset Sometimes the job hits hard, and stepping back is the bravest response. This pause allows healing and creates space for reflection.What you’re building: Emotional resilience, empathy, and new coping frameworks 4️⃣ Study or Professional Development Whether formal or informal, learning off-road often brings clarity and direction that shifts your long-term career vision.What you’re building: New capabilities, broader vision, and strategic thinking 5️⃣ Systemic Frustration or Career Reassessment Feeling stuck or disconnected isn’t failure ... it’s feedback. Sometimes the system needs to change. Sometimes you do. Either way, reflection is a valid first step.What you’re building: Courage, clarity, and alignment with your values ✨ Final Message Whatever your reason, your story is part of this profession. You still belong. Career divergence doesn’t mean you’re out of the loop.It means you’re listening closely ... to yourself, your needs, and what’s next. Respondr are here to support and guide you, allow you to understand your options, connect you with the right support and resources. Click on the link below to join the Respondr Network.