Professional Development

" “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” (Aristotle) According to a recent study by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), funded by the Health and Safety Authority, the instances of work-related stress amongst employees in Ireland has doubled between 2010 and 2015. Work-Related Stress (WRS) is stress caused or made worse by work. It simply refers to when a person perceives the work environment in such a way that his or her reaction involves feelings of an inability to cope. ‘Stress occurs when an individual perceives an imbalance between the demands placed on them on the one hand, and their ability to cope on the other. It often occurs in situations characterised by low levels of control and support.’ (Professor Tom Cox, I-WHO, University of Nottingham, UK). As we all know, higher education can be a particularly stressful environment for both staff and students due to a variety of competing demands and deadlines at various stages during the academic year, many of which are beyond their control. Rather than just focusing on students, this workshop was all about staff and helping them survive! It aimed to provide participants with some suggestions to help reduce, or at least manage, some of the causes and effects of stress and hopefully help participants to take control of their workload and stress levels. Participants who attended this workshop: Identified strategies that could be utilised to better manage their workload Became more aware of the signs and symptoms of stress Identified some useful strategies to help deal with stress Examined the value of feedback on lectures and the importance of reflecting on one’s teaching for one’s own professional development Discussed some of the shared challenges faced in higher education today and potential solutions"