Monday Motivation #86 (1/17/2022)

Happy Monday!

Over winter break, my therapist quit. Not because of me (I assume!) but because she moved out of state a few months ago and was finally transitioning to work in her new hometown instead of remotely with clients in Michigan. I’ve actually never met her in person, since I started working with this therapist during the pandemic over zoom, and discovered that I actually like being able to care for my mental health from the comfort of my house.

So, as I work with the practice manager to find a new therapist one of my criteria is that they are willing to continue meeting via zoom. I am also looking for someone who will help me stay accountable when it comes to caring for my mental and physical health. 15 years after I was first diagnosed with depression, I’m usually pretty good at paying attention to how I’m feeling and adjusting my meds and my routines to keep life in a reasonably healthy balance. But I’ve also learned that I stay on track better when I know that there’s someone who’s going to ask me how things are going, and what I’m doing to stay healthy when life gets stressful.

This time of year can be particularly hard: winter break is over, the weather is cold and gray, the new semester schedule messes up our familiar routines. The calendar says that spring is only a few weeks away — but it’s hard to believe that when the sun seems to be hiding. It’s tempting to burrow under the covers and try to sleep away the winter blahs. And sometimes, a nap does help! But more often I find that I feel better when I’m making small, consistent efforts to embrace this time of year and take care of myself and my loved ones.

Sometimes, I have enough energy to make a pot of soup or bake a loaf of bread — and sometimes I just curl up on the couch with a book and a blanket and a cup of tea. Some days I get through my to-do list, but most of the time I focus on just a couple of items and call it good enough.

As we settle in to this new semester (so hopefully named “Spring”), I’m sharing some ideas to help you embrace this season and care for your own needs.

Katy

Three Things to Try This Week

Take a Break — the next time you’re in the Engineering Building, check out the new Graduate Student Wellness Center in room 2420. You’ll find a “sharing cupboard” where you can grab a snack, and a kitchenette where you can make a cup of tea, plus puzzles and games and comfy chairs. The Wellness Center is open from 8:30am until 4:00pm, Monday through Friday. Wendy Baker worked hard to put together this lovely space, and she sits right across the hallway if you want to say thanks in person!

Take Inventory — early in a new semester, time can seem endlessly available and deadlines very far away. It’s easy for “current you” to make promises that “future you” might struggle to fulfill, especially as the days and weeks of the new semester slip away. Consider this suggestion for taking stock of your time and commitments, and figuring out what remains “Available to Promise” as we settle into the spring semester.

Take Time to Stretch — chilly weather often means more time spent indoors, staring at screens. Try some of these suggestions for alleviating “tech neck” and making our time indoors more comfortable and productive:

More Resources

• Looking for more RCR training hours (beyond the one available this Friday)? The College of Engineering is offering a four-week short “course” via D2L, January 31 through February 27. By participating in six online, asynchronous discussions you’ll earn credit for six hours of RCR discussion-based training. This can also be used to fulfill the annual refresher training requirements for PhD students, as long as you complete all six discussions in D2L (note that you cannot earn “partial” credit for this course, even though the annual refresher requirements are 3 hours).
• The University Physician’s office offers a wide variety of free, online seminars and short courses on a variety of wellness topics, from chair yoga and mindfulness to nutrition and conflict management. Learn more and register here.
• Winter offers unique and wonderful opportunities, like sledding and skiing and snowshoeing and even a “polar bear plunge” for the very brave. While I’ll probably skip that dip into freezing lake waters in January, I enjoyed checking out these photos of the hair-freezing contest at an annual hot springs in Canada!