Health and Human Services Professional Development

Working Hard or Hardly Working? by   Jinwen Ye   on   October 1, 2014   Hard work is valued in many cultures, and it often takes hard work and thoughtfulness to make sure you are productive in the various roles you serve. In the workplace, productivity is required for those that desire to keep their jobs.  For those of you that might be struggling with productivity at work (or home), here are four questions to ask yourself: 1. How’s your physical and emotional health?  Healthy people are more likely to enjoy their work and be more productive in their workplace. Adequate sleep, regular exercise, healthy diet, and positive emotions have all been linked to workplace productivity. 2. What’s your physical work environment like?  Air quality of your office, enough lighting, comfortable temperature, access to outside views and external space, and quiet working conditions are all factors of the physical work environment that have been found to impro...

End of the Semester Stress and Self-Care by   Jill Bowers   on   November 26, 2014   It’s that time of the semester…final exams, papers, projects, grades, and graduation. In addition to stress associated with school, many students are coping with emotions associated with holidays or gloomy/winter seasonal affect. International students, or those that live far away from family, may be especially at-risk for exhausted financial or emotional resources as they try to get home or figure out plans for winter break. And, many of you simply put so much pressure on yourselves as academic or organizational leaders that you forget or don’t take the time to take care of yourself in the way that your body and mind needs. Self-care can enhance your ability to cope with stress, anxiety, and depression. It can help you to have better cognitive focus and give you more energy. Engaging in self-care can also improve your mood, and some forms of self-care can aid in the develop...