Dear MDECOE community,
This week we celebrate Labor Day, a day that recognizes how hard we work all year long. This is also a time to be extra conscious of work-life balance. “In the past decade, studies show that roughly 90% of U.S. employees feel they struggle with work-life balance. This is especially a challenge in today’s “always-on” culture, with employees more connected than ever before to their devices and email,” as noted in an article from ThinkHealth. Take time to reflect on your current work-life situation and consider what you’ve learned for optimal work-life balance. And check out these helpful tips if these are not already a part of your routine.
- Set a schedule
Setting a regular routine helps create a psychological barrier between your work and home life.
- Be upfront about expectations
Discuss with your co-workers and boss about your work. This can include the best ways of communicating with them, your home situation, virtual vs in-person work schedules as we transition gradually back to the office, technology needs, etc.
- Create an office space at home
Creating physical boundaries around your work area can reinforce the message that you’re working, both for yourself and others in your home. And as we transition back to in-person work, refresh and update your in-person office space to make it feel welcoming for you.
- Eat the frog
Mark Twain once said that if the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day knowing that nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day. Your “frog” is your biggest, most important task, the one you are most likely to procrastinate if you don’t get it done right away. Consider starting each morning by completing your most challenging task first so that it isn’t looming over your head the entire day.
- Take breaks
We are more likely to sit at our computers all day without taking breaks when we don’t have the social cues from the work environment, such as people leaving for lunch or breaking for coffee. Try to stand up every 20 minutes and take a break every one to two hours for a cognitive recharge and to get your body moving. Engaging in unfocused activities have been shown to be most effective, such as chatting with someone, going for a walk or meditating. During these more stressful times, using your breaks for social connection or an activity you enjoy can be very beneficial.
- Set work boundaries
It can be difficult to separate your work life from your personal life when they are under the same roof, but it can also be taxing on your health and wellbeing as it can lead to burnout. Make sure you are working reasonable hours and sticking to the schedule you created. But don’t be too hard on yourself for the days when the schedule goes overtime. Just be sure to recharge with down time as soon as possible.
- Socialize and stay connected
Social distancing does not mean social isolation. Working remotely can cause people to feel isolated, making it more important to routinely check in with your team – and not just about work-related events. Enjoy social time virtually with friends and colleagues, or at the office during breaks, even if masked and socially distancing.
- Take care of your emotional well-being
According to the American Psychiatric Association, more than one-third of Americans said COVID-19 has had a serious impact on their mental health. Self-care and coping skills are critical to your mental health and wellbeing. And if needed, qualified professionals can offer tools to help you solve problems and provide trauma-informed counseling. Virtual telehealth provides access to professional behavioral health care providers for an online therapy session.
Available for faculty and staff through Life Matters at CSUN. https://www.csun.edu/benefits/lifematters-eap.
Available for students at CSUN at University Counseling Services https://www.csun.edu/counseling, and students and community at Mitchell Family Counseling Clinic, https://www.csun.edu/teaching-learning-counseling-consortium/mitchell-family-counseling-clinic and Strength United https://www.csun.edu/eisner-education/strength-united
To read more suggestions for optimal work-life balance see https://thinkhealth.priorityhealth.com/labor-day-promoting-work-life-balance-for-wellbeing-since-1894/
For a list of many self-care options, please see our COE self-care website for resources for faculty, staff, students, and the community at:
https://www.csun.edu/eisner-education/self-care/articles-information-self-care
Many thanks to the College of Education faculty, staff, and students for their incredible commitment to their work, and to everyone who engages in some form of work during these challenging times! May we all find our own best practices for work-life balance.
Warmly,
Shari