Tip of the Week

Sometimes we may feel superhuman or others may expect us to be superhuman.

As another academic year settles in, a long “To Do” list continues. For financial aid administrators, this list includes some important reporting deadlines, along with information that may be requested of you by your president or others at your college. Add to that list the student files that need your attention for one reason or another.

The list goes on and on. Yes, it’s overwhelming at times. And we often think we need to get it all done right now. After all, we’re superhuman, right?

Remember, to be productive and to reduce stress and the feeling of being overwhelmed, you need to take care of you first.

A few tips that you might want to implement:

• Limit your caffeine intake. While we often think caffeine gives us a jump start for the day or keeps us going throughout the day, it can also impact our ability to sleep at night.
• Take a break and go for a walk. Go outside for a few minutes and enjoy the beauty of nature.
• Don’t eat lunch at your desk to avoid the temptation to work while you eat. Besides, you don’t want to lose a french fry in a file.
• Set boundaries between work and personal time. In other words, don’t take work home with you or log in at night to check email.

Before you get too overwhelmed, take a deep breath, and implement these tips. Taking time for yourself is necessary to do the superhuman work you do every day.

After all, you are only human.

By Marlene Seeklander