DOS at Home
Each DOS News we will highlight how DOS colleagues are navigating their work from home and how they are staying motivated. This week, we are highlighting Krystal Clark, Director, Student Leadership Development, RC Stabile, Area Coordinator, Residential Experience, and Jorge Wellman, Area Coordinator, Residential Experience!
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Krystal Clark
Movement, Moderation, Meditation, Mail, and Music have been key while working from home. Fitness studios have been great at offering free or heavily discounted quality content on Instagram or ZOOM. I combine workout nuggets throughout the day to care for my physical health and mental health. ZOOM is a fantastic tool and “ZOOM Exhaustion” is real. Take a break and put a buffer between ZOOMs. When the weather is great, a short walk outside is perfect and gives me a chance to breathe deeply. The skills shared by the CSW team and Sarah Jordan Welch in Project Safe have helped me engage in breathing exercises that alleviate anxiety. A daily achievable to-do list to provide focus is a necessity as there are many distractions and it helps maintain morale. The SLD Team has incorporated games into our staff meetings including hangman, a game of 3s, and Show & Tell. We’ve successfully transitioned to virtual CliftonStrengths Coaching and held a ZOOM CliftonStrengths Workshop. VALE went virtual and we’ve started some social media series. Mail is my favorite! I use the ARRIVE app and it tracks my packages and lets off a delightful sound when it has arrived at my doorstep. Voila, I open my door and it’s Christmas! As for music, create some playlists, pull out your old favorites, or borrow from others and fill your atmosphere with great sounds. Spontaneous dance parties are a perfect way to make it through the work from home day.
RC Stabile
I believe professionally, and I have learned to rely even more on my to-do list and making sure that I have even the smallest goals for the day on them. Personally, it’s been a real lesson in giving myself grace. As someone who works out six days a week – this has been challenging. I have to remind myself that it’s essential to be kind and speak nicely to myself on the days where I am just unable to get my daily work out in.
Jorge Wellmann
I have to admit that working remotely was stressful at times due to an ever-changing landscape, new technology, a sense of uncertainty, tight deadlines, and the need to create, learn, and adjust our best practices. However, I am thankful for the opportunity, because it has taught me several lessons: be appreciative for my role on-campus and never take for granted having the ability to have face to face interactions with campus partners, colleagues, and students. Working remotely provided an opportunity to reflect and improve ways my teams or myself can continue to practice the FISH philosophy in our workplace, student interactions, and to offer the best customer service to our parents and students.
- “Choosing my attitude” was necessary as working remotely reshaped the landscape of our student experience at Vanderbilt and our work in Residential Experience. For example, I had to choose to be patient as I learned how to use new media platforms (Zoom, WhatsApp, Google Duo, and Marco Polo) to respond to the questions and needs of our campus partners, parents, and students.
- “Making someone’s day” was practiced by multiple partners that sent messages of support and encouragement via email, GroupMe, and text messages to our office. However, I had various opportunities to make “someone’s day” by continuing our best practices as we conducted remote student care follow-up meetings. Many students expressed gratitude and appreciation for our team, investing the time to have a zoom or phone conference as they navigated their transition to online learning.
- “Being There” was not only exemplified by university leadership, colleagues but, most importantly, my HR and RA staff. These student leaders continued “being there” for their residential students and responding to their needs even as they navigated times of uncertainty themselves. Furthermore, we had several of our RA staff members volunteer to continue to serve virtual RAs to our residential students that remained on campus. The RAs continued to provide programming, one on one meetings, and on-going meaningful conversations via Zoom.
- There is a memory I will cherish for the rest of my career, seeing our OHARE teams “play” as one during what has been a difficult time for much of our team. Our OHARE team conducted room inspections and packed all of the Mayfield Lodges to meet the needs of our partners at our Medical Center. Although, this task required a great deal of planning, sensitivity, and all hands on deck. It also allowed all of our OHARE teams to “play” together as one. Before starting the inspections and training, we kicked a tennis ball (of course, maintaining social distance) across the Morgan and Lewis lawn. The inspections provided our team with an opportunity to play together and to: relieve stress, reconnect with each other, and, most importantly, enjoy a much-needed laugh.
Check out how other colleagues are working from home from past issues of DOS News.