Get Your Students Hired
Unfortunately, most of my stressors cannot be eliminated but I am going to take the advice learned here and take at least a 30 minute walk everyday. Now that the weather is cooling down, I can walk my two schnauzers to get me out there and relax. I am not one for "exercise" but hopefully the amount of stress I physcially feel will be lessened.
Nip it in the bud. Notice immediately when something starts to stress me out. Take a deep breath and practice the "energy tools" I learned in a stress management class
Any cardio exercise will help relieve stress like kickboxing, jogging, walking, elliptical,and etc. Also utilizing time management skills more effectively and finding someone you can openly communicate with.
I find if I go fishing play golf our just take my dog for a walk I relive stress from work but if it gets so bad when I cannot deal with it I will retire
Lisa, Sometimes it's hard to get back into exercise after taking too long a break. I recommend easing your way into it, especially after surgery. Just take it slow, you don't have to jump back in at the same pace as before.
Dr. Melissa Read
I exercised before my surgery and have had a hard time getting back into it. I always found it so helpful, I just need to make the time to do it again.
Share with others, begin a light exercise routine, get enough rest at night, stretching exercises at my desk.
Carole, So true. When you share the challenges you experience in life with others, they will sometimes also share their challenges with you. This can really put things into perspective. It also helps because you feel like you are not alone.
Dr. Melissa Read
Kathleen, Interesting approach! I don't meet a lot of instructors who use poetry as an outlet but I love it. I bet you come up with some creative material this way. Some instructors are able to draw on what's bad in their lives and turn it into something good.
Dr. Melissa Read
Mary, I like your thinking around the physical separation of work and sleep spaces. Many instructors work from home, and work in their living areas. This blended life has its advantages but it's also very hard to unplug when the workday is done. Sometimes the physical separation can help.
Dr. Melissa Read
Mirroring what I said in the last forum, I became a marathon runner partly to help deal with stress. It has been one of the single best decisions I've ever made. Not only does it help relieve tension, but it's something I do just for me...and I help raise money for charity which is a win-win situation.
My outlet to stressors is writing fiction or poems and meditation. It merely depends on what I feel moved to do at that moment as to which I turn to.
I use some of the same techniques including exercise, bubble baths, slow music and physically separating my work space from my sleep sanctuary. No work allowed in bed for me.
Due to my chaotic and busy life and very minimal free time to do things such as exercise. I think the simplest and least time-consuming stress reduction techniques I have learned in this module would be breathing exercises and stretching
because both of these healthy mechanisms, are easy to achieve anywhere anytime, they seem to be the most practical for me to cope with stressors that are out of my control.
I will always have responsibilities in terms of faculty development at each of my college's. This is a stress that cannot be eliminated. Though this course didn't directly talk about this, I think I will try to stagger these requirements throughout the year, so that I can complete them slowly, but steadily. Leaving them all to the last minute causes unnecessary stress. I am learning how to parcel out my responsibilities to myself, and see tasks as being made up of many bite sized pieces, as opposed to one big mouthful.
STUDENTS NOT BEING RESPONSIBLE ON EXTERNSHIP:
I am wondering if the reason for some of these absences is the stress of the externship. I plan to now share some of the things I have learned with the students, especially the coping mechanisms.
PAPER CLUTTER AND HOUSEHOLD CLUTTER:
I have already gotten better about keeping up with paperwork, but I cannot seem to find time to deal with the household clutter. I think I will make a list of all the things that need to be done, or cleaned out, and attack them one at a time!
Having a better planned exercise and diet will go a great distance in eliminating stressors in our lives.
What works for me is to call a friend or family member and vent. In talking it through, I sometimes see thing clearer and can find a solution. Sometimes in talking to someone else they offer a different perspective on the stressor which helps me to cope.
Rae Lynne, It sounds like you have some wonderful outlets that help you enjoy your life while reducing stress. This is great to hear. Spending time with children and siblings can really take your mind off work and can be great family bonding time too. Updating your to-do list and just reading to relax can help you focus on what's most important and then get away from it all.
Dr. Melissa Read
Sharon, So true. Many instructors focus on one thing or another, but the truth is both body and mind are key. The best coping mechanisms are balanced between the two.
Dr. Melissa Read