Dr. Melissa Read

Ty, Thanks for sharing. It's amazing how many culinary instructors share the same kinds of scenarios. This field might be one of the highest stress to teach and work in based on your description and the descriptions of many instructors like you. I'm glad to hear that this module reinforced some good strategies for you. Dr. Melissa Read

Dawn, That's a great question and one I've gotten a lot lately. The answer depends on the complexity of your subject matter, as well as how familiar and experienced you are with teaching a course. For courses that are complex, or ones that you have not taught before, you may find yourself spending a good deal of time getting organized. On the other hand, for simple courses and those you've taught before, you may need very little preparation. Dr. Melissa Read

Gary, It sounds like you may be dealing with a bit of role ambiguity. This is quite stressful and often impacts new instructors. I might recommend talking to the people you work with, including your supervisor, to get a clear sense of their expectations and what should be on your list! Dr. Melissa Read

Kimberly, Sounds like you face a lot of stress in your role. Yes, many of us drive around in our 'offices.' This can be particularly stressful if we don't keep them organized and clean. I recommend taking some time each week - even if it's just 15 minutes - to get your car trunk organized. You will find that this small time investment can help you feel much more comfortable and confident in your work. Dr. Melissa Read

Glenn, Walking is a great stress relief and we can do it almost anywhere. It's also surprisingly amazing for weight loss too. Walking is such a great, low impact activity. We avoid sports injury by doing it and it's easy to work into our routines. Dr. Melissa Read

Nick, Yes, there are some sources of stress in our lives that simply cannot be eliminated. When we find ourselves facing them, it's good to ask about the kinds of coping mechanisms could we rely on to make these stressors a little easier to deal with. When facing traffic, some instructors like to listen to music or books on tape. Others carpool or talk on the cell phone (where permitted) for some good conversation. Dr. Melissa Read

David, Wow, your location sounds great. Yes, there are so many outdoor activities available to you in your area. Hiking is a great outlet. Skiing and snowboarding work great too. Dr. Melissa Read

Brian, So true. The word No is both hard to hear and often hard to say. Sometimes others push back on us, and other times, we are the ones that push back on them. In both instances, this can feel stressful. Dr. Melissa Read

Allen, So true. If we had twice as many days in the week, we'd likely still not complete what's on our task lists. I like your approach of considering how much time you have to complete your tasks. I might also recommend doing priority tasks first. Dr. Melissa Read

Tammy, That's a great approach. Most instructors are actually not like you. They focus on the easy tasks and tent to procrastinate on the harder ones. Dr. Melissa Read