A Reflective Learning Journal

On January 5, 2024, the Chronicle of Higher Education published an article by Ian Wilhelm, What to Do About Burnout in Student Affairs. Wilhelm’s article focuses on a growing and persistent concern that professional staff in university/college student affairs teams are periliously close to burnout (or they have already reached it). It goes without saying that people who choose to work in student affairs have a compassionate core and a desire to see others thrive and succeed. Couple a desire to care with increasing complexity about the needs of students (i.e.: housing & food insecurity, mental health) and the high potential for burnout becomes very real for professional staff.

What does it mean to be hyper-human with each other in our Student Life Department? A long time ago, I heard the mathematician Lucy West speak about fractals and leadership. In the natural and mathematical world, fractals are beautiful repeating patterns that begin simply and become incredibly complex. West shared the idea that how leaders treat those on their team will be replicated at the next level and so on. This way, a pedagogy of care grows and is amplified. It begins with how the leader acts and extends care. Personally, this resonates and I believe the theory works – but it is not all about the leader – it is how we care for each other collectively.

Photo by sergio medina on Unsplash

On our agenda last week at a full team meeting we opened up space to respond to Wilhelm’s article and consider how, and what, we can do in our team to combat burnout and be protective of each other. It felt good to talk about it together! To be hyper-human allows us to walk well together and consider the many different ways that we can prioritize well-being and relationships. At our team meeting, not only were we reminded of our togetherness, people spoke about the need to care for ourselves, individually, as well. To be hyper-human with yourself will allow you to be so with others… hmmmm, another fractal to consider!

Go easy on yourselves dear professional staff and care for each other well.

Hyper-human part 2 will delve into what this means for students. As always, I learn from you. Please feel free to share what it means to be hyper-human to yourself and your peers to you!

Page Update, Jan. 31, 2024: This morning I read a post by Dr. Michael Leiter, that centres on the “mismatches of people and workplaces” as a driver for burnout. Leiter offers 5 scenarios to consider to move mismatches to matches and spoiler alert…collaboration is the favoured practice!