Elizabeth Wilcox, Sr. Consultant for Advising
We look forward to the summer for longer days, warmer weather, more time with family and friends, and that prized vacation – but for many advisors, summer is a contradiction. The pace of orientation programs can be demanding and contact hours with students may actually increase, making summer seem busier and more hectic than the regular academic year. This summer, Advising Matters is devoting its professional development corner to providing self-care resources and information for advisors. Incorporating professional resiliency and self-care strategies into one’s daily routine are important features of building a mature advising practice. To effectively help others, one must routinely care for one’s self. We encourage you to devote at least a portion of your professional development time this summer to focus on your own well-being and needs. Encourage your colleagues to do the same.
Ask yourself, "How do I care for myself in ways that rejuvenates my capacity to care for others?" You may want to start by determining if your professional and personal vitality and stresses are in balance by taking the following inventory by Thomas Skovholt, Practitioner Professional Resiliency and Self-Care Inventory
Make a daily commitment to your own well-being and rejuvenation by incorporating at least one self-care strategy into your day. Start by checking out the resources below.
Body (Physical Well-being)
- In Partnership with RSF (Walk, Run, Hike, Bike, Swim, Climb, Jump, Lift, MOVE! – Take care of your body and relieve stress!)
- Consider establishing an in-house fitness program for advisors in your area at a mutually convenient location through the WorkFIT Program or follow the link below to find out more about classes offered near your work site.
- Check out the Health and Wellness Workshops and Resources including helpful webinars for Faculty and Staff
Mind (Emotional Well-being)
- There are ample resources at Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center that may help with emotional wellbeing. Check out the following article on growing “good” in your brain: How to Grow the Good in Your Brain by Rick Hanson
- If stress and burnout are significant issues check out CARE Services for Faculty and Staff
Spirit (Spiritual Well-being)
- Increase your well-being through the practice of focused attention called Mindfulness. Read What is Mindfulness?
- NACADA Additional Resource: Coping with Advisor Burnout, Chris Huebner
If all of this fails, do something you enjoy…
Play with a puppy, eat an ice cream cone, call a friend, watch a movie, buy flowers, sit in a café for an hour by yourself, read a good book, walk on a beach, look at art, take a nap…the list is endless – simply take a moment to enjoy yourself! It is summer after all! Don’t miss it.
Recommended Reading – The Resilient Practitioner: Burnout Prevention and Self-Care Strategies for Counselors, Therapists, Teachers, and Health Professionals, Second Edition, Thomas M, Skovholt and Michelle Trotter-Mathison