Association for Biology Laboratory Education

Prioritizing Self-Care A Facilitated Discussion
 

Pamela L. Connerly

Advances in Biology Laboratory Education, 2020, Volume 41

https://doi.org/10.37590/able.v41.extabs89

Abstract

Succumbing to illness at the end of the semester is a common occurrence among both faculty and students. We seem to accept cycles of overwork and burnout as a necessary part of the academic calendar. But does it have to be that way? The growth mindset we encourage our students to embrace in the classroom can also be used to explore ways to make our work and personal lives more balanced and sustainable. I want to share my personal take on the importance of developing self-care habits to shift from overwhelming stress, wasted work time, and frequent illness to a greater feeling of balance, more efficient work, and increased joy. In a society that values busyness, it can be difficult to include personal time for rest, rejuvenation, and celebration. As I have been working to build my own personal self-care habits and find ways to encourage them in my colleagues and students, I am feeling more energized and able to do my best work. I will share an annotated bibliography of resources that have been helpful to me as well as facilitating group discussion about these ideas.

Keywords:  self-care, quality of life, burnout, growth mindset

University of Ottawa (2019)