ACPA & NASPA Professional Competencies Snapshot
• Identify and employ resources to improve one’s own wellness.
• Analyze the impact one’s health and wellness has on others, as well as their respective roles in creating mutual, positive relationships.
• Recognize and articulate healthy habits for better living.
• Articulate an understanding that wellness is a broad concept comprised of emotional, physical, social, environmental, relational, spiritual, and intellectual elements.
Wellness incorporates physical, mental, and emotional (to name a few) aspects. In the last year I have taken steps to improve my physical health. Working in student affairs is time consuming; most days are unpredictable, requiring me as a professional to work frequent evening and weekend hours. As such, it is easy for my physical wellness to become a low priority. In a concerted effort, I created and incorporated a work out and healthy diet routine into my daily schedule. I have adjusted my daily hours, waking up early to exercise before work. I have found that this small change has provided me with greater amounts of energy and effectiveness within my job. I have also begun to follow a healthier diet, cooking meals in advance to ensure healthy options are available when my busy schedule does not allow for time to cook a meal. While these changes may seem relatively small, they require determination and strength of mind. Waking up before the sun rises is a challenge, but the reward of being full of energy for the entire day motivates me through times of challenge. This also established a healthy routine that I can continue to follow as I become a full-time professional.
Fellow cohort members and myself after completing the Freddie and Freida 5K. October 2011.
As a professional, I believe it is imperative to find balance between work and life. This balance looks different for everyone, but to avoid professional and personal burnout, I continue to strive to find a balance that works for me. Finding this balance ensures that I am able to better assist my students and fulfill my personal and professional commitments. I also recognize that I am a role model for my students, who tend to be overcommitted, with regards to personal wellness. As such, one of my expectations of my students is that they take time for themselves and are able to identify and integrate sources of personal wellness into their lives. To demonstrate my achievement of this competency I discuss my physical wellness plan and personal reflection.
Physical Health and Wellness
Personal Reflection
Whitewater rafting in the Adirondacks of New York with the Cornell University Summer College staff. July 2012.
ACPA & NASPA Professional Competencies Snapshot
• Identify key elements of one’s set of personal beliefs and commitments (e.g., values, morals, goals, desires, self-definitions), as well as the source of each (e.g., self, peers, family, or one or more larger communities).
• Describe the importance of one’s professional and personal life to self, and recognize the intersection of each.
• Recognize and articulate healthy habits for better living.
• Recognize the importance of reflection in personal and professional development.
• Recognize needs and opportunities for continued growth.
• Identify sources of dissonance and fulfillment in one’s life and take appropriate steps in response.
• Bolster one’s psychological resiliency, including participating in stress- management activities, engaging in personal or spiritual exploration, and building healthier relationships in and out of the workplace.
• Analyze personal experiences for potential deeper learning and growth, and engage with others in reflective discussions.
Another habit that I have developed in graduate school is daily reflection. I have found that reflection is an integral piece of my practice as a professional as well as for my personal life. I begin each workday by creating a list of tasks to accomplish, and at the end of the day I take a few minutes to reflect on what I accomplished, a routine I learned at a National Association of Campus Activities conference session. Additionally, I frequently take time to reflect on my experiences and where I am going in an effort to guide my behavior. For example, before beginning the job search I reflected on my time at BGSU, my achievements and struggles while being here, and used this to come up with a general outline of what I am looking for in my future jobs. Example conclusions I discerned include autonomous working conditions, a supportive work/life balance, and family. It is through these moments, no matter how brief they are, that I am able to make meaning of my experiences, organize them in a manner that is useful, and find clarity in the midst of a busy schedule.