Can You Be SustainableWorking in Academia?

Maria Estling Vannestål(maria@livstid.nu)

Malmö Högskola5 February 2013

www.marialivstid.nu

On the agenda today

• My story – finding a way of coping in Academia

• The HALV project at Linnaeus University

• Tools and strategies (a ’smorgasbord’)

• Group activity

• Coffee break

• Joint wrap-up discussion

www.marialivstid.nu

Please feel free to interrupt me!

Not a lecture on stress, but…

1. We can handle quite a lot of hard work (and stress) if we also get the opportunity to relax and recover.

2. Stress is often more about our thoughts and feelings (worry, fear) than about our actual work load.

www.marialivstid.nu

My story- finding a way of coping

in Academia

www.marialivstid.nu

Buzz group discussion

(c. 5 minutes):What thoughts came to mind

while you were listening to my story?

www.marialivstid.nu

The HALV project

at Linnaeus University

www.marialivstid.nu

About HALV

• HALV = Hälsa (Health), Arbetsliv (Working life), Ledarskap (Leadership) at Växjö universitet

• My project: working in an environment characterized by great freedom and heavy pressure

• 12 university employees:

… time registration

… written reflections

… seminar discussions

… stress profile

www.marialivstid.nu

Comments from participants

• This project has changed my life!

• Hearing that other people have the same thoughts and problems as I do is really comforting.

• I no longer feel bad about going home on Friday afternoon, even if I haven’t done everything I had planned.

• I thought: If Maria could do it, I can do it.

• I work in a different way now – but I have to be very careful…

www.marialivstid.nu

Tools and strategies(a ‘smorgasbord’)

www.marialivstid.nu

Four cornerstones

1. Structure and control

2. Fitness training for body and soul

3. Time for reflection and discussion

4. Mental ”walking sticks”

www.marialivstid.nu

1. Structure and control

www.marialivstid.nu

A ”time clock”

www.marialivstid.nu

Planning, planning, planning…

www.marialivstid.nu

Pomodoro – helpful tomatoes

• a simple technique for becoming more efficient

• 25 minutes’ intense focus + 5 minutes’ break

• available as a free app for your smartphone

www.marialivstid.nu

• ”There’s not enough time in my life …”• ... or a ”positive spiral”?• finding something that really suits me• fitness training for body and soul:- sleeping enough and sleeping well- muscular relaxation- mental relaxation/meditation - mental training (visualisation, affirmation…)- mindfulness (more here and now)

2. Fitness training for body and soul

www.marialivstid.nu

3. Reflection and discussion

• writing in a feel-good book

• writing in a blog (Livstid.net)

• talking to colleagues (and supervisor)

• talking to other people in a circle: The Circle Way

www.marialivstid.nu

4. Mental”walking

sticks”

Listen to my gut feeling

360 degrees Energy

boosting

Be good enough

Everyday-happinesscollection

”Smart laziness”

Have trust and

patience

Breathe and let go

www.marialivstid.nu

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can,

and the wisdom to know the difference.

About change…

Small steps towards change are still steps!

Focus on one thing at a time; I can’t change everything at once.

Focus on what I do, not on what I do not do.

www.marialivstid.nu

Group activity

www.marialivstid.nu

The Circle Way

• One person at a time (”talking stick/stone”)

• Everyone gets the same amount of time

• Everybody else just listens (no one interrupts)

• Idea: You’ve got all your answers inside you

• Inspiration from other participants

• Often starts with New and Good

• NOTE! Everything said in the group stays in the group!

www.marialivstid.nu

• Three groups (one timekeeper/group)• Warm-up 1: Say your name and where you work• Warm-up 2: New and good (something positive that

has happened to you recently)• Talk for 4 minutes each (use ”talking stone” & timer),

for instance:- What thoughts have come to my mind today?- How do I handle stress? How do I relax?- What makes me feel really good? Can I do more of that?- What would I like to change in my life (if anything)?

Organization

www.marialivstid.nu

Joint wrap-up discussion

www.marialivstid.nu

Angelöw, B.: Träna mentalt och förbättra ditt livErnsjöö Rappe T. & J. Sjögren: Diagnos: duktigGummesson, E: Good enough Jönsson, B.: GuldJönsson, B: Tio tankar om tidSchenström, O.: Mindfulness i vardagen1177 (Råd om vård: Stress)1177 (Råd om vård: Sömnskola)LivstidMeditationsguidenNova Futura (Bosse Angelöw’s website)Pomodoro

Some books and websites

www.marialivstid.nu

You can lose everything except your story,

so you’d better make it as good as possible.

(approximate quote from the film Australia, 2008)

Thanks for your attention

and good luck with

your studies and careers!

www.marialivstid.nu