Voice Of a He/Sa Faculty Member

How do we, as student affairs professionals, take care of our mental health when we are spread thin and do not even have money for glitter glue? How do we prioritize self-care when it feels like everything is a priority? Does it even matter?

First, let us discuss mental health, self-care, and what drives people away from the profession. Mental health, in a nutshell, is our state of well-being. How “well” do we feel mentally and emotionally? Self-care is how people use knowledge to help keep themselves physically, emotionally, and mentally healthy. And- what drives people away from the profession? When people do not value self-care or believe their employers or the profession does not value their self-care. That, in turn, creates mental and emotional distress and leads to burnout and attrition.