Faculty Well-being

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The Purpose

The core strength of UIW is our people, and we strive to help you find resources that provide opportunities for self-care, self-compassion, and the overall well-being of yourself. Our faculty are leaders in their fields, guiding students and providing the best education they can offer. Focusing on self-care and self-compassion enable us to be productive, healthy, and supportive of the people we work with daily. It can be challenging to find time for self-care and self-compassion with teaching, service, and scholarship responsibilities; therefore, it is imperative to prioritize your well-being.

Topics to Consider

Be Aware of Burnout

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), burnout is a syndrome that results from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. Burnout consists of 1) Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; 2) Increased mental distance from one’s job or feeling of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and 3) Reduced professional efficacy. It specifically refers to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied or described experience in other areas of life (WHO, 2019).

Practice Compassion

It is important to acknowledge that we are all stressed. Therefore, it is important to focus on restoring and enhancing our well-being in order to re-energize our relationship with teaching and learning. Mindfulness, compassion and contemplative pedagogy offer entry points to starting new practices which support safe, welcoming and healthy learning environments.

Seek out Connection and Community

As you go through the unknowns of your semesters, please remember you are not alone. Although teaching can feel like an individual practice, it is really something that we do in community with others. Reach out to close colleagues for support as you sort through your semester.

Understand the Seven Dimensions of Well-being

The Seven Dimensions of Well-being consist of physical, intellectual, environmental, vocational, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Collectively, these make up your entire piece of mind and balancing these factors is shown to lead to a fuller, more satisfying life.

Center for Health and Well-being: Learn more about the Seven Dimensions of Well-being