Dr. Melissa Read

Marie-Anne, Sounds like your students, work, toddler and marriage are all sources of stress for you and all things to cope with from time to time. I'm sorry to hear that the coping process causes you stress too. It could be that there are better mechanisms for coping than the ones that you've been relying on lately. You might explore your options to see if there's something out there that could work better for you. Dr. Melissa Read

Amy, Excellent to hear! Yes, this is true for many instructors. Exercise is a great outlet and can help you stay in great shape too. Dr. Melissa Read

Craig, Sounds like you have some great coping mechanisms in your back pocket. Wonderful to hear. I like the way the mechanism you choose depend on the kind of stress you experience. This is a great strategy because different outlets work for different stressors. Dr. Melissa Read

Willy, So great to hear. Sometimes, we discover great solutions for time and stress management on our own. When something genuinely is the best way of doing things, it can quickly emerge as a natural solution. Dr. Melissa Read

Phillip, Sounds like a wonderful outlet. Also, you just never know about the possibility of publication in the future. Often times, we are our biggest critics. Perhaps you could have a few others read your work and see what kind of feedback they have. Dr. Melissa Read

Craig, It sounds like you already have a great organizational system in place. Since this is the case, all you have to do is keep up the great work! Dr. Melissa Read

Martha, Sounds like you face stress from both your personal and professional lives. That can be tough to balance. Some instructors are able to build a wall between two worlds, not letting one impact the other. Others experience stress from all sources at once. Dr. Melissa Read

Jay, Sounds like you are really on top of things. This is great to hear. Some people thrive on immediacy and really love the results they drive. If it's not stressing you out to live this way, continue by all means. Dr. Melissa Read

Sandy, Sometimes the best approach is to attack the most difficult tasks first, and to really face them head on. Otherwise, they can haunt you as you try to complete other tasks -- making work life tough. Dr. Melissa Read

Jacqueline, It sounds like you have your priorities straight! Many people work so hard that they are not able to devote weekend time to family. It's wonderful to hear you are able to balance at all and enjoy the most important things in life. Dr. Melissa Read