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How to salvage a disasterous day in your COVID-19 quarantine [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

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In the midst of this catastrophe, you may experience disruptions of your sleep, appetite, work, fitness, and family life. Some days, you will wake up in a fog. You will wander around in your pajamas, and when you look up from your phone, it will be 3 p.m. You’ll have accomplished nothing and have missed your breakfast and lunch. Work and family commitments will be clawing at you, and you may start to panic.

Take heart. It is absolutely possible to salvage a disastrous day, even if you are in a crippling multiday slump. It is inevitable that everyone will have both good and bad days over the course of this pandemic, and it is absurd to compare the peaks and troughs. The sensible approach is to ride the wave, and work cooperatively with the psychological challenges that each day presents.

Read the full article HERE

 

Talking about your workload

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Note: The resources mentioned are designed for those working in administrative positions.

If you feel pressured about your workload, there is a Reflection and Discussion Tool (with MyDal login) available to help you prepare, and have, conversations to find ways forward.

In addition, this post from LifeWorks highlights tips and benefits of discussing workload with your manager:

Talking with your Manager About Your Workload

If your workload sometimes feels like too much, you’re not alone. Studies have shown that many people feel their workloads have increased due in part to technology that sometimes makes employees feel like they need to be available to work 24/7.

It’s important to talk with your manager if you have more work than you can handle so you can find ways to keep your workload at a manageable level while meeting your organization’s needs.

Even if you have a great relationship with your manager, you may hesitate to bring up valid concerns about your workload. Here are some common reasons why:

  • You don’t want to sound like a complainer.
  • You know that your co-workers’ workloads have also increased.
  • You think it should be obvious to your manager that you have more work than you can handle comfortably.
  • You hope the problem will go away on its own when the work crunch has passed.

Feelings like these are natural, but your manager needs to know if you have more work than you can handle. They may have ideas on how to ease the burden on you while making sure that all the necessary work gets done.

Read the full blog post.

 

 

Working at home when the kids are home, too

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The reality of working remotely every single day alongside your kids will be a “steep learning curve” for a lot of people.  This post shares tips for getting things done and being there for your children.

  1. Set a schedule
  2. Communicate
  3. Set boundaries
  4. Take breaks
  5. Alternate shifts with your partner

Dalhousie recognizes the challenges many of our employees will have balancing new work routines while managing childcare. We encourage all employees to find a balance and routine that works for them and to reach out for support through HR or EFAP, as needed.

Email healthy@dal.ca

EFAP – 1-800-387-4765 or workhealthlife.com
(Description of EFAP services on MyDal here.)

 

 

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