UVU's UWHEN Chapter Kicks Off With Work-Life Balance Event

UVU’s chapter of the Utah Women in Higher Education Network (UWHEN) kicked off the academic year on Wednesday with a lunch-and-learn opening social focused on work-life balance.

   

UVU’s chapter of the Utah Women in Higher Education Network (UWHEN) kicked off the academic year on Wednesday with a lunch-and-learn opening social focused on work-life balance.

UWHEN’s mission is to support female faculty and staff in advancing their professional development, equity, and leadership in higher education. It is accessible to all female-identifying employees.

During the social, Dr. Bonnie Andersen, professor of physics, and Frenely Liechty, assistant director of TRIO Undergraduate Programs, shared their stories of work-life balance. Each talked about the importance of setting aside time for self-care, setting boundaries, and letting go of ideas of perfection.

“We feel guilty because we are not the perfect parent, or we are not the perfect employee,” Liechty said. “I think we have to let go of that and realize that we have to be more flexible. We are not always going to be perfect, and some days are going to be better than others. We need to allow ourselves to have some grace and move on from that.”

“I am not going to be the perfect professor, because I cannot be,” Andersen said. “And I am not going to be the perfect mom, because I cannot be. Just say no to perfectionism. It’s a vicious cycle where I am not a good enough mom, I’m not a good enough employee, I’m not a good enough friend, and it just goes and goes and goes. Once I said, ‘I am not this perfect person,’ it was OK not to be perfect.”

Liechty and Andersen also provided tips for creating balance, including reaching out to others within your network for help or hiring help when necessary, using personal time off without feeling guilt, and scheduling time for mental health days.

They also recognized that successful work-life balance probably looks different for everyone.

“When my students know that I am trying to be a good mom, and my kids know that I am trying to be a great teacher, that’s what I call success,” Andersen said.

But whatever the goal is, Liechty said we should all stop and appreciate our efforts.

“We are all doing a good job. Give yourself credit for that. And we need to enjoy life. Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life,” Liechty said.

For more information about upcoming UWHEN events this semester, visit the UVU UWHEN webpage.