Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Coping strategies

My work life is a little stressful these days. The university is in transition, and it's safe to say that the role of units all over campus is being reassessed. That means uncertainty for lots of people, me included.

At the same time, the new academic year is about to kick into gear. There's so much to do to get ready. Even though not all of it is my job to get done, my type A personality means that I tend to get stressed over what I see that's not getting done, or what I don't know if it's being done or not.

At least my work is still contained to the office. I don't have to bring it home in the summer, and I work pretty hard to arrange my life so I don't have to bring it home during the semester, either. Evenings are my haven, to spend time with my husband and family, to keep up with television and movies -- the cultural wellspring that provides me with ideas and energy. To knit and feel as if, no matter what I don't have control over in my job or in my life, this stitch is one more step toward creation and toward beauty.

A friend who also works at a university is coming down this weekend to visit. I'm looking forward to spending some time talking about some of these things. Perspective is an antidote to stress, and as deeply as I've been immersed in planning and creating, perspective is exactly what I need and the hardest thing to provide on my own.

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