FOCUS!!

I'll be the first to admit, I can get distracted. Focus is a hot commodity these days... However, I think one of the reasons I've enjoyed being a professional interviewer is that focus comes naturally when your are trying to obtain a truthful statement by gaining the trust of the person you are interviewing. Whether it's a 6 hour interrogation with a homicide suspect, or a 45 minute conversation with someone who is having a problem with their boss, I feel much more focussed during interviews than I do when engaged in other professional tasks. For a lot of folks that interview for a living, I'd guess it's the challenge of trying to understand the person sitting across from you.... the figuring out what to say next while you are trying intently to listen to not only what is being said, but also how it's being said... and even analyzing what is not being said.... all while observing body language.... that keeps us so focussed. These challenges can be very fulfilling if interviewing is your thing, but they can also be quite exhausting.

If you've performed a lot of interviews, chances are you've gotten to the end of one or a day full of them and had virtually no more focus to give. Call it "focus exhaustion". That's all well and good if you are going to a hotel room or somewhere else by yourself. It becomes a potential problem when you are going home to loved ones or other important people in your life. Those folks are ready to share their stories with you, ask you about your day, or just engage in some kind of conversation. It can be difficult to oblige and can create conflict that adds frustration to an already exhausting day. Here are some of the things I've found to work for me to help me keep my ability to interact with others after a long day of talking and listening:

At the end of the day, before you return home, remind yourself of the following:

• This is just work. It's only work.
• You didn't cause any of the problems you've had to solve today, they were presented to you for you to help solve.
• You have no control over the actions of other people. People do dumb (and bad) things.
• You showed up today to try to help by resolving the issues presented to you. It's very likely that even if you didn't have magic words today, you helped more than you know.

Proactively prepare those you live with by telling them what you need:

• Do you want to be alone for 20 minutes?
• Do you need to not be asked questions for a bit?
• Do you need to hit the gym or go for a run?

Whatever it is, if you have prepared those you live with and made it a routine, it lessens the chance of conflict.

*Note: These things alone are often not enough to deal with the aftermath of being exposed to violent and traumatic subject matter. If you perform interviews of this nature, find ways to take care of yourself that adequately address the severity of what you may deal with.

What things work for you to avoid "focus exhaustion" after a long day of interviewing? Let me know in the comments.

For help with interview instruction, please consider my services and have a look at my website:

www.newmountaininvestigations.com