Self-Care for Scholars - Activity

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Knowledge check (5 minutes)

Peter is researching 16th century South American history and recently had a meeting with his advisor. Peter feels that he is not as far along as he should be. He says

“My advisor is not pleased with my progress. The resources that I have found and my research questions are not strong enough. I feel like I don’t belong in this field.”

It sounds like Peter is struggling with a fixed mindset and imposter syndrome. What can you say to Peter to help ease his mind?

  • Your adviser is helping you identify areas for growth.

    Can you work with them to identify a specific task to start developing more expertise?

  • You’re still learning!

    As you continue with this project you’re going to gain confidence in your field.

  • Why don’t you take a moment to reflect on what you’ve achieved so far.

    What research have you completed? What about your field do you understand right now that you didn’t really understand a year ago? What goals have you met? How might you continue to build on that?

Answer: Any of these comments are helpful to Peter right now. A good next step might be creating a plan with concrete steps that he can work towards. As he completes these steps, he will feel more accomplished and confident.

Reflect on yourself (2 minutes)

Are the following statements true or false to your usual actions?

  1. While my mood waxes and wanes, it returns to a neutral set point.
  2. My mood has a usual set point that can change.
  3. I’m pretty good at limiting my Internet or phone use when I want to.
  4. The capacity for self-control is not a fixed trait.
  5. When I have a big goal, I usually imagine success.
  6. With new goals, I spend the most time:
    • Planning
    • Monitoring actions
    • Assessing results
  7. When I set my mind to do something, I usually get right to it.
  8. I usually break big tasks down into small steps.
  9. When assessing progress towards a goal, I tend to focus on what I haven’t done.
  10. When asked to do something I’m not good at, I view it mostly as a:
    • Threat
    • Challenge

Reflect on your strategies (3 minutes)

Think about how you currently approach your work.

Is there anything about your approach that you want to change? Are there any self-care strategies that you already incorporate into your work?

Identify at least one strategy that you are already using or can start using now to fulfill each of the following.

  • Nurture a growth mindset
  • Increase self-efficacy
  • Fight impostor syndrome

Tip: Consider doing this with a friend to help each other reach your goals. You can share your own strategies or choose a strategy to work towards together.

Introduction | Presentation | Activity | Further Resources