Academic Mental Health for Bell Let's Talk Day

Today, January 29th, is Bell Let's Talk Day in Canada. To commemorate this day, I thought I could discuss strategies to increase subjective well-being in academics from both a personal side and from a research side (in no particular order).

1) Sometimes you need to say no. In a world of "publish or perish", there is pressure to work yourself to the bone, but remember you can't stay productive if you burnout. Only take on what you are capable of doing.

2) Social support is important. This can come from significant others, family, academic friends, or friends outside academia. I am lucky to have such a supportive partner, great friends (in and out of school), and family. Sometimes all I need is for them to make me laugh.

3) It's not a weakness to ask for help. No matter if it's about your thesis, your stats assignment, your TA duties, or just an overwhelming workload. There are plenty of people you can discuss this with. If you are a graduate student, remember that your supervisor is there to help you through this process. They were once a grad student too. They may have some tips for you.

4) Rejection is prominent in our area of work. Everyone experiences it, no matter if you are the big-wig in the field or a graduate student. Rejection doesn't equal failure. It's just a setback. Look at the criticism objectively, re-charge (take as much time as you need), and take the next step. The next step may be to step back from the project or rework it to submit it somewhere new.

5) I know what it is like to feel like an imposter. You are not alone. Many in academia feel this way. Remember, no one knows everything. It's okay to say "I don't know". It's okay to feel overwhelmed in a new situation. But it's also okay to surprise yourself with your own intelligence and be a rockstar.

6) It's okay to not feel okay (or have a bad day), but also saying that make sure you are reaching out for support when you need it. Many campuses have counseling services that are free and easily accessible to students. For Carleton students visit: https://carleton.ca/health/counselling-services/

7) Self-care is not procrastination. We are often made to feel guilty about not focusing all our attention on our work. Go to the gym or the pool or a Zumba class or do yoga. Make a yummy meal. Take a bath. Go for a walk in nature (research shows being in nature can make us happier; see Capaldi et al (2015)). Find hobbies that you enjoy outside of school. I took up knitting and I am finding more time to read for fun.

8) Always go see the therapy dogs. No questions asked.

You can do this. You are intelligent. You are special. You are a rockstar. Just keep on swimming and you will make it through.

Reference:

Capaldi, C. A., Passmore, H. A., Nisbet, E. K., Zelenski, J. M., & Dopko, R. L. (2015). Flourishing in nature: A review of the benefits of connecting with nature and its application as a wellbeing intervention. International Journal of Wellbeing, 5(4). tps://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v5i4.449

Jaremka, L.M., Ackerman, J.M., Gawronski, B., Rule, N.O., Sweeny, K., Tropp L.R., Metz, M.A., Molina, L., Ryan, W.S., & Vick, S.B. (2019).

Common Academic Experiences No One Talks About: Repeated Rejection, Impostor Syndrome, and Burnout. Perspective of Psychological Science. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336408985_Common_Academic_Experiences_No_One_Talks_About_Repeated_Rejection_Impostor_Syndrome_and_Burnout

Zelenski, J. (2020). Positive Psychology. Sage Publishing.