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Be Good to Yourself:
Or How to Become a Better You (and a Better Employee!)

By Priscilla Stultz, Senior Librarian Relations Consultant

Have you ever had one of those weeks where by Friday you are ready to pack it all in and run off to an isolated tropical island? Your patience is all but gone, and when you do a quick rundown of what you have accomplished, you realize that it wasn’t any of those items on your to-do list. Being pulled in numerous directions by a multitude of people, has left you feeling like a life-sized Gumby. “Calgon take me away” is playing in the background of your mind.

A person that I highly respect and admire is always reminding me that it’s important to “be good to myself.” The theory is that if I take the time to be good to myself, then I will in turn be a better person overall. If I am tired and crabby, what value do I have to anyone else or to the activities that I am involved in? Keeping this in mind, I have come up with a few ways to “be good to ourselves” every day.

1. Be good to your physical self.

• Is your work setup ergonomically correct?
  If something as simple as the height of your chair is off, your posture and eyesight can be affected after hours of staring at a computer monitor. Check with your human resources department to see if there is an ergonomics package that the organization depends upon. Or take a look at this OSHA website to make a determination of your own setup. Making a slight change such as adding a glare screen to your monitor can make a world of difference. http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/computerworkstations/index.html

• Drink plenty of water.
  It sounds so basic, but are you getting your 8 glasses of water every day? http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/water.html

• Rest your eyes.
  Do you stare at a computer for hours? It’s important that you remember to give your eyes a regular rest. OSHA recommends refocusing your eyes by looking away from the screen and focusing on a distant object every 10 minutes or so.

• Rethink your snacking.
  When your stomach starts to rumble, do you head to the snack machine on the 2nd floor? Junk food can give you a quick fix but can also add on unwanted pounds and affect your health in a number of ways. Why not stock your desk with healthy snacks such as raisins or nuts? Or bring a goodie bag from home with cheese, celery or fruit?

• Yoga at your desk.
  Yoga in your workspace can be a life saver and a short 5-10 minute session can rejuvenate the body and mind. With Yoga the latest fitness trend, there are plenty of websites devoted to the topic. http://www.ayurvedacures.com/office_yoga_main.htm
  http://www.yogaeverywhere.com/home.html

2. Be good to your mind and spirit.

• Close your door!
  If you are fortunate enough to have a door, go ahead and close it. When you are trying to focus on a project, give yourself permission to take this relatively simple step. Put up a sign that says you are unavailable. And while you are at it, forward your calls to voice mail. You will be amazed at how much you can accomplish in 30 minutes or an hour of uninterrupted time.

• Take a walk.
  When was the last time you used one of your breaks or your lunch hour to go outside and enjoy the wonderful world we live in? Summer is on its way and a few moments outside in the sunshine can do a world of good for your spirits.

• Reward yourself.
  If you are having a particularly stressful day or have just dealt with a problem patron, do something nice for yourself. What could that be? How about stopping on the way home and buying a fresh bunch of flowers? Or call an old friend that you haven’t spoke with in a long time. Simple pleasures such as these are what make life so wonderful.

• Honor your breaks, lunch hour and quitting time.
  Living, breathing and obsessing about your job does not make you a better employee and certainly not a better person. Set the boundaries; have outside interests, and do not devote every waking moment to your work. You will like yourself and your job much more, if you don’t allow it to take over your life.

3. Be good to your career.

• Join a professional association.
  Networking with others in the industry can provide a myriad of positives. Other librarians can be your sounding board when you are considering a new idea or project. Your peers can also be a great resource when you are stuck on a research question or need to get your hands quickly on a particular source. And librarian associations certainly provide the professional development that is so important to our growth and mental well being.

• Take a class!
  Are you interested in designing a web page but have no idea how to even begin? Many local library systems offer classes on topics such as this and more. Most are for a nominal fee that in many instances will be picked up by your organization. Stretching the mind can be a rewarding and sometimes life-altering experience. Who knows? One class may change the course of your career!

• Break the mold!
  Librarian stereotypes abound and many of us, in one way or another, fit some or all of them. It’s time to break out of the stereotype and change the way you see yourself and the way others see you. Develop a 30-second elevator speech to use next time you find yourself standing next to the managing partner of the firm. Or make it a point to introduce yourself to other staff within the law school or firm, and invite your new friends to meet you for lunch in the lunchroom. It may feel awkward at first, but making these proactive connections and tearing down the stereotypes will allow others to see us as the Information gods and goddesses we are. For real inspiration, visit the Lipstick Librarian at http://www.lipsticklibrarian.com/.

There are many more ways to be good to yourself that could fill pages. Next time you take a break, why don’t you brainstorm on 5-10 ways that would be most beneficial to you. Then, when you are having one of “those days”, pick up the list and honor it by acting on one of your own suggestions. Chances are that you will feel better and will be able to end the day on a more positive note. If that doesn’t work, when you leave the office, picture yourself leaving all of the frustrations, negativity and feelings of being overwhelmed in a large box to be taken to the dumpster. Upon leaving the building, you leave the box and your worries behind. What could be better than that?

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