Stress and coping
Through the years, I have had to learn how to eliminate stress. When I began my teaching career everything seemed to stress me out: a student's failure, an unprofessional comment from a coworker, etc. With time, I have had to learn to take a step back and really evaluate the importance of what it is I am stressed about. If the stressor did not effect my professional or personal life, I began to devalue the "stressor." I now understand that every student will not be successful, and I don't have to be friends with all of my colleagues - this has helped with my overall stress management immensely.
It's a tough one but it's so true Adel. Sometimes we've got to just walk away and let it go. Easier said than done for sure.
i agree. we cannot control all of the external factors that affect our students' and coworkers' lives and attitudes towards us. sometimes you just have to shake it off and move on.
I find that having an outlet for your stress helps. When my professional or social really life stresses me out, I play video games online when I get home. Believe it or not it does help me to let go of my stress by focusing it into the game im playing and releasing it.
Hi Wook,
I agree. The key is just as you say find the balance so we can be effective in our work and life.
Gary
Stress can come in different forms. Without it; I feel somewhat unmotivated. With it, i feel pressured. Balancing the good and the bad stress can be achieved and be productive!
It sounds like you've spent a lot of time discovering your capacity and setting healthy expectations for yourself. Great work Kelli and this will serve you quite well.
I began in a small college setting with many administrative responsibilities along with teaching. As I have grown throughout my many years here, not allowing "the small stuff" to get to me was very important. It took a long time, however, to manage my time very efficiently. I now know that there is no way I can finish everything, everyday. "To do lists" help. If I accomplish the most important tasks and have to move some to the next day, it is ok. Deadlines are important for categorizing those as well. Still stressed at times, but nothing like it used to be.
Teaching in a small college setting can be stressful enough, let alone all the demands and standards that are continually changing in our career schools. I too have learned "don't sweat the small stuff". We try our hardest to deliver the material in the best way possible for our students, and try to meet the demands of coworkers and administration in a timely fashion. It's nice to know there are teachers out there that are experiencing the same "stressors", and they are learning techniques to cope with all the demands.
I appreciate you sharing this, Hilary - because I, too take on a student's failure as my personal stress - I do think that some of this comes from retention numbers and that pressure to always keep our retention up. I also personalize a student's failure.
Thank you for sharing.
Toni
I am pretty good at keeping things light, i still find a bit of stress when one of my students is having a hard time due to personal issues in his or her life. All in all we try and make the best use of our time together and block out all outside streesors.
This is true Caroline. We've got to carefully balance both risks and rewards. If the risks are too great, we need to consider other options.
Its also important to identify if your career's strees level and determine if it is the worth the potential health risks that it causes.
Setting our own expectations can be a great way to cope with stress Bernabe!
I'm glad I have realized this from the very beginning. I think it has alot to do with my experiences when I was a student. I know that not everyone can pass a certain course, and knowing and realizing that from the very start can alleviate that stress.
As we evolve as instructors, we get better at dealing with the stress of teaching Hilary.
When it comes to things like this, sometimes we just have to come to a place of understanding Sebastian. Sometimes there is nothing we can do to change student behavior and success - though we can try.
I am also beginning to realize that every student will not be successful. I use to think I was to blame for not doing something right but as I began to understand it more, I am able to cope with this fact.
