Self Care for Faculty: Four Ways to Cope When Teaching in Hard Times

This past year has been difficult for all of us. But, it has been especially challenging for faculty required to convert their face-to-face courses to remote instruction in an incredibly short amount of time. This has also happened during a time of strife, with a pandemic prompting an unprecedented global lockdown, heightened frustration over injustice, and many of us caring for children, friends, and family at higher risk for contracting COVID 19.

If ever there were a time for faculty to practice self care, it is now. Self care is defined as the utilization of skills and strategies to support your physical and emotional well-being. The approach will not be the same for everyone, it must feel right and work for you. At a time when so many of us are feeling anxious, stressed, and exhausted, we encourage you to consider adapting some or all of these suggestions.

1. Take care of yourself first

Radical self care asserts that you have the responsibility to take care of yourself first before attempting to take care of others. Radical self care is practiced by intentionally and frequently supporting your well being and disengaging from activities that could deplete you. In teaching this translates to taking care of ourselves so that we can take care of our students. Of course, you'll know best what this looks like for you, but there are some steps that will benefit anyone. Get enough sleep. Make an effort to eat healthy foods. Go for walks. Make a commitment to take care of yourself by taking time away from your laptop or computer (read a book, call a friend, meditate, bake something!); it's important to take time to unplug!

2. Reach out to a colleague

One thing that is lost when campuses closed was regular contact with our colleagues. Teaching can be lonely work in the best of times; it is really hard in isolation. A sense of community can help keep you afloat. Make the effort to get in touch with a fellow faculty member, see how they're doing, and compare notes on how you're weathering the crisis. If it’s remote teaching that has you stressed, there are a number of faculty at Drexel University who have set aside time just for you. Both the Peer2Peer Network and CASTLE Faculty Fellows are happy to hear about your experience with remote teaching so far which includes both the good, the bad, and yes even the ugly! These colleagues can be a valuable sounding board for troubleshooting challenges and brainstorming new ideas.

3. Set clear work limits

Flexibility is a wonderful benefit of working from home, but it is also easy to blur the lines between being at work and being at home. No one is saying you must work a 9-5 schedule, but it’s a good idea to create a weekly work schedule—and stick to it. Schedule your lunch break. Take a coffee or tea break. Don't answer emails 24/7. End your day when you normally would. If possible, set up a particular space just for work and then walk away from it to play with the kids, walk the dog, or just kick back with Netflix. Separating your work life from your personal life is critical to self care. Working remotely does not mean working all the time!

4. Create an emergency self-care plan

An emergency self-care plan is really helpful because in times of crisis, it is very hard to think of what to do for yourself. It is best to have a plan ready for when you need it. You may want to be ready with three strategies: what to do, what to think, and what to avoid. To create a self-care plan, first make a list of things that will be good for you (e.g. breathing, exercising, cooking, dancing, etc.). Second, make a list of people you can contact for support (e.g. your family, close friends, priest/minister/rabbi/imam, etc.). Then, make a list of who and what to avoid when you are having a hard time (e.g. “I will avoid staying in bed all day, as it makes me feel lousy”). Lastly, make a list of positive reminders when you are giving yourself a hard time. (e.g. “we are all struggling, and I will prioritize what I can”).

Let’s get started:

• No one expects you to be perfect.
• Everyone is balancing a lot and trying very hard right now.
• We are all stressed, but we are resilient.
• These are not normal times. There is uncertainty. It’s okay to be anxious and stressed.

Together we can prioritize supporting ourselves and each other. We can be flexible to learn together. Practicing compassion for others begins with practicing compassion for ourselves.