Two really awesome resources!
Stop apologizing for looking after yourself, know when to change vs. stay the same, a little note on Grad Students Against Burnout! and practicing rest.
Since last Sunday, I crossed paths with two helpful resources I want to share with you. Both were created by other academics I admire, and their wisdom will apply no matter your career. Enjoy!
Stop apologizing for reasonable boundaries.
The first really awesome resource is this substack from Professor Loleen Berdahl’s Academia Made Easy series on how to stop apologizing for setting reasonable boundaries. (You will get a pop-up to subscribe – if you’re in academia Loleen’s advice is a game changer! But you can click “keep reading” if you don’t want to subscribe).
As a preview, I will leave you with my fave gem from Loleen’s post: “I stopped apologizing when I realized that saying sorry for protecting my health and well-being is ableist bullshit.”
Amen!
When do we change, when do we stay the course?
The second really awesome resource I’m sharing is this vlog episode by Professor Tara Brabazon from her coaching series. It’s a longer video so make yourself some tea and settle in! In this episode, Tara speaks about workplace uncertainty and how it can be difficult to know when to flow with a change and when to stick with our goal. She presents ten strategies to help decide. I recognized many of my experiences in this video, and I bet you will too.
What’s new and exciting here?
The biggest, most exciting thing here is that the days are getting longer! I don’t know about you, but I am noticing an impact on my mood and energy. It will still be a long time in Saskatoon until Spring, but not spending all day in the dark makes the cold more bearable. In addition:
- I can’t wait to share the thesis results of one of my students’ work on self-care practices of BIPOC activists.
- Grad Students Against Burnout is returning… as a research project! We will be looking for participants, and it will remain free. Stay tuned.
- Soon we’ll have all our Sunday mailouts updated on the blog, woohoo!
I also continue to practice my new habit of resting, and phew it is hard work. Some days I only fit in 15 minutes, but that’s okay. My mystery novel binge continues. I’m continuing my personal mission to figure out how much work is reasonable and not to overwork.
In self-care solidarity,