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Sure, the leaves are beautiful. The cooling weather means we can clean out the fireplace and pull on a fleece. But each year, October seems to be the busiest month, the one in which all the meetings happen. Meanwhile, paperwork needs to be written, assessment reports are due, midterm exams need grading, and students need advising. And on top of that, my primary professional conference is scheduled smack in the middle of the chaos. I missed some deadlines, I forgot to send you last week’s email, and my students are getting anxious about feedback on their revisions. So I was feeling pretty low this morning.
And then a kind soul sent me the Harvard Business Review’s "Management tip of the Day."
Be Kind to Yourself When You’re Feeling Stressed Out
Burnout is a serious problem at work. It can make you feel emotionally exhausted, cause cynicism, and hinder your job performance. If you notice these signs of extreme stress, resist the urge to beat yourself up — that will only make the situation worse. Instead, have some empathy for yourself and what you’re going through. Start by considering how you might be creating unnecessary stress: For example, are you setting unrealistic expectations for yourself? Remember that we all have only a certain number of hours in the day. When you feel overly stressed, acknowledge it and recognize that others would feel similarly in the same situation. Being kind to yourself, instead of laying on the self-criticism, can shift your mindset from feeling threatened to being self-compassionate, strengthening your resiliency and making you more likely to bounce back from a stressful time. (Oct 20, 2017)
In case of an emergency, airline safety instructions advise you put your oxygen mask on first before trying to help others. That seems counterintuitive to many of us who feel healthy and strong. But by putting others first, we may lose sight of our own limitations and start burning out. When we burn out, we’re no good to anyone. So here are some suggestions for being kind to yourself and avoiding burnout.
Take some time to exercise. Make time to exercise for a few minutes each day. Choose a parking spot that’s a bit further away than usual. Take the long route to your next meeting. Go for a walk on your lunch break. The autumn temperatures make walking outside lovely…if you’re dressed for the weather. Fortunately for us, there is an indoor track and a bridge-and-tunnel system connecting the buildings. You should also check out the events that the Wellness Committee has scheduled.
Create appointments with yourself. Block out time on your calendar to focus on complicated projects or to think through ideas. Put your phone on silent. Log out of email or mute the tantalizing ring of new messages. Just focus on your project and, with practice, maybe you can experience a flow state every now and then.
Connect with others. Why not invite a friend along on your walk? Meet for lunch in the Dining Hall or the Centennial Student Union. Gather a team to participate in one of the local trivial leagues. (Trivia & Tacos at the Loose Moose even posts the questions on a screen, which helps those of us who talk over the announcer.) Whatever you like to do to unwind, try doing it with a friend every now and then.
Slow down. Consider going old school and (gasp!) writing things out by hand. Some research suggests writing ideas helps with memory, critical thinking, and creativity. LifeHacker has an infographic about writing that might inspire you.
Accept your limitations. The best advice I was ever given came from my supervisor at the Louisiana Office of Tourism. “We’re not the Department of Defense. No one will die based on what we did or did not do.” For many of us at the University, that advice fits, too. None of you were harmed by the absence of a professional development email. Accept that at some point you won’t be able to accomplish everything on your To Do list. Prioritize your projects. Take care of the most pressing, high profile, or mission critical projects first. If you can’t make a deadline, try to reschedule. If you can’t finish a project, ask for help. It’s OK to rely on others because once we’re back to full strength, we can return the favor.
Inspired by Su, A. J. (2013, May 25). Put on your oxygen mask first: Six tips for self-care on the job. [Blog post.] Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/amy-jen-su/destressing-at-work_b_2931679.html
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