Just as the weather warms up, things heat up on the job, as well. Whether it’s assessment reports that are due, meetings on the calendar, or student complaints beginning to surface, my need for a little “self-care” bubbles up into a roar. And it’s essential to manage work-related stressors before they push us over the burnout cliff.
We’ve heard a lot more about burnout since the pandemic – many of us felt overwhelmed by the toxic mix of cabin fever and Zoom overload. Technically, though, burnout is a workplace phenomenon, not so much a “self-care failure.” Research shows that it’s factors like an unmanageable workload, unclear roles, unfair treatment, and poor communication that cause burnout.
In my corner of the work world, I’m part of a team exploring the sense of belonging that our colleagues feel here in our college. Learning about what’s going well and where improvements are needed will help shape a culture designed to support a positive workplace experience and, ideally, minimize the likelihood of burnout.
While we cannot cure full-blown burnout with workday yoga or chair massages in the courtyard, research shows that investing time and energy into appropriate self-care practices helps us prevent burnout. So I encourage everyone to attend the upcoming NIU Well-Being Fair on April 16th in the Holmes Student Center. It’s free and open to the public. When it comes to learning new self-care practices, an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure. Check out WNIJ’s Community Calendar to learn more about our event.
I'm Suzanne Degges-White, and that's my wellness tip of the day.
