Friday, February 27, 2009

Burnout Prevention and Recovery

My friend forwarded this to me. I thought those are really good tips and reminders of how a healthy doctoral student's life should be.

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STOP DENYING. Listen to the wisdom of your body. Begin to freely admit the stresses and pressures which have manifested physically, mentally, or emotionally.
STRESSED DOCTORAL STUDENT VIEW: Work until the physical pain forces you into unconsciousness.

AVOID ISOLATION. Don't do everything alone! Develop or renew intimacies with friends and loved ones. Closeness not only brings new insights, but also is anathema to agitation and depression.
STRESSED DOCTORAL STUDENT VIEW: Shut your office door and lock it from the inside so no one will distract you. They're just trying to hurt your productivity.

CHANGE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES. If your job, your relationship, a situation, or a person is dragging you under, try to alter your circumstance, or if necessary, leave.
STRESSED DOCTORAL STUDENT VIEW: If you feel something is dragging you down, suppress these thoughts. This is a weakness. Drink more coffee.

DIMINISH INTENSITY IN YOUR LIFE. Pinpoint those areas or aspects which summon up the most concentrated intensity and work toward alleviating that pressure.
STRESSED DOCTORAL STUDENT VIEW: Increase intensity. Maximum intensity = maximum productivity. If you find yourself relaxed and with your mind wandering, you are probably having a detrimental effect on the recovery rate.

STOP OVERNURTURING. If you routinely take on other people's problems and responsibilities, learn to gracefully disengage. Try to get some nurturing for yourself.
STRESSED DOCTORAL STUDENT VIEW: Always attempt to do everything. You ARE responsible for it all. Perhaps you haven't thoroughly read your job description.

LEARN TO SAY "NO". You'll help diminish intensity by speaking up for yourself. This means refusing additional requests or demands on your time or emotions.
STRESSED DOCTORAL STUDENT VIEW: Never say no to anything. It shows weakness, and lowers the research volume. Never put off until tomorrow what you can do at midnight.


BEGIN TO BACK OFF AND DETACH. Learn to delegate, not only at work, but also at home and with friends. In this case, detachment means rescuing yourself for yourself.
STRESSED DOCTORAL STUDENT VIEW: Delegating is a sign of weakness. If you want it done right, do it yourself (see #5).

REASSESS YOUR VALUES. Try to sort out the meaningful values from the temporary and fleeting, the essential from the nonessential. You'll conserve energy and time, and begin to feel more centered.
STRESSED DOCTORAL STUDENT VIEW: Stop thinking about your own problems. This is selfish. If your values change, we will make an announcement at the next department meeting. Until then, if someone calls you and questions your priorities, tell them that you are unable to comment on this and give them the number for Community and Government Relations. It will be taken care of.

LEARN TO PACE YOURSELF. Try to take life in moderation. You only have so much energy available. Ascertain what is wanted and needed in your life, then begin to balance work with love, pleasure, and relaxation.
STRESSED DOCTORAL STUDENT VIEW: A balanced life is a myth perpetuated by liberal arts schools. Don't be a fool: the only thing that matters is work and productivity.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY. Don't skip meals, abuse yourself with rigid diets, disregard your need for sleep, or break the doctor appointments. Take care of yourself nutritionally.
STRESSED DOCTORAL STUDENT VIEW: Your body serves your mind, your mind serves the organization. Push the mind and the body will follow. Drink Mountain Dew.

DIMINISH WORRY AND ANXIETY. Try to keep superstitious worrying to a minimum - it changes nothing. You'll have a better grip on your situation if you spend less time worrying and more time taking care of your real needs.
STRESSED DOCTORAL STUDENT VIEW: If you're not worrying about work, you must not be very committed to it. We'll find someone who is.

KEEP YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR. Begin to bring job and happy moments into your life. Very few people suffer burnout when they're having fun.
STRESSED DOCTORAL STUDENT VIEW: So, you think you work is funny? We'll discuss this with your director on Friday, at 7:00 P.M.!

Monday, February 2, 2009

再難也要出去!新生代農民工的執著

http://chinareviewnews.net/doc/1008/7/5/8/100875885.html?coluid=45&kindid=0&docid=100875885&mdate=0203104859

中評社北京2月3日電/金融危機致使就業壓力增大,在享受春節熱鬧、甜蜜之際,許多農民工面臨著新抉擇,尋找著新機遇。春節剛過,他們當中的許多人就紛紛踏上了外出務工之路。   

人勤春來早。據新華網報道,近三天,在重慶、武漢、鄭州、南昌、阜陽等勞務輸出重點地區,火車站已是人流熙攘,衆多農民工踏上了外出務工之路。   

家鄉:漂泊終點,創業起點   

新華網刊文說,24歲的李春雲從未像今年春節這樣仔細打量家鄉的城市,因為她要動用7年在外打工的積蓄,和男朋友一起買套新房准備結婚。   

李春雲是湖北省隨州市均川鎮高王廟村人,16歲就到廣東東莞一家電子廠打工。去年9月工廠訂單減少歇業,她不得不回家。她說:“我好舍不得東莞,那是我最熟悉的地方,休息日和工友們一起唱歌、滑旱冰,好玩又開心。”   

回到家鄉,李春雲參加了當地政府專為返鄉農民工組織的“緊急技能培訓”,經過3個月學習,拿到了“縫盤工”合格證,去年12月初在隨州市力豐紡織廠上班,月工資1600元,比在廣東打工時低200多元。   “

工資少了點,但離家近,爸媽很開心。”李春雲說。其實,最開心的是她買房、結婚等人生大事現在終於確定下來了。李春雲告訴記者,她在隨州買房就可落戶口。   

去年下半年以來,各地政府采取了一系列幫助返鄉農民工就業創業的措施,使衆多農民工把家鄉當作“漂泊的終點,創業的起點”。   

重慶市開縣農民工蔡傑去年8月回鄉,9月就參加了縣裡組織的免費培訓,11月在縣城開辦了一個維修手機的門店,還請了四個人。他說:“就在我情緒低落的時候,得到了一張‘返鄉民工就業援助卡’,上面寫著政府為返鄉農民工提供的優惠政策、開展免費創業培訓等實用信息,非常好。”   

記者看到,被蔡傑珍藏在錢包裡的那張“返鄉民工就業援助卡”上,還有一句順口溜,“返鄉民工你莫愁,黨的政策有奔頭;返鄉民工你莫慌,政府為你出實招”。   

去年11月開始,江西省南昌市開展萬名黨員幫扶返鄉農民工活動。截至目前,已有1.6萬餘名黨員與返鄉農民工結成了“一對一”幫扶對子,為返鄉農民工二次創業發放小額貸款8000餘萬元,提供就業崗位3.8萬多個,實現新上崗就業6000多人。   

去年10月,遭遇外貿退單,在廣東種花卉的青山湖區羅家鎮貨場村農民萬成返鄉。鎮村兩級黨組織隨後幫助他成立了園藝公司,花卉種植面積發展到120多畝,聯絡了300多戶花農,銷售200多個品種,春節期間,他的鮮花產品在南昌街頭四處可見。   

“如何化危為機?這次我的觀念轉變很大。”萬成深有感觸地說,“過去在廣東只盯香港一個點,現在把目光輻射到全國。從做外貿到做內需,需要勇氣,如果沒有家鄉幹部的支持,我的內心不會這麼踏實。”   

勞務輸出大省安徽省目前正在各縣市建設“農民工返鄉創業園”,對入園農民工創業者給予培訓、場地、稅收、貸款等扶持,計劃兩年建設300個“農民工返鄉創業園”,每年扶持10萬農民工自主創業。

務工:實際選擇,致富出路   

“那是一條神奇的天路耶……”1月30日一大早,高亢的歌聲激蕩在青海省大通回族土族自治縣代家莊村,社火隊表演吸引了四鄉八鄰的鄉親。社火隊領隊韓國海說:“老人們說大年初五要‘送窮’,我們希望大家能擺脫金融危機的影響,來年日子過得更紅火。”   

22歲的韓國海在雲南玉溪當了4年建築工,年前因為工地活少提前返鄉。他說:“現在出門活不好找,我准備參加政府組織的技能培訓,學電器修理,從2月1日起我們這兒要落實家電下鄉補貼,以後我的生意肯定會好。”   

只有合適的工作崗位和掙錢機會,才能真正“送窮”致富。許多返鄉農民工都像韓國海一樣,對工作充滿了渴望。   

對許多30歲以下的“新生代農民工”來說,留在家裡種田并不是件體面的事情。安徽省潁上縣三十鋪鎮新莊村農民兄妹劉剛、劉銀從寧波失業回家後,始終心有不甘。哥哥劉剛說:“要是在往年,春節回家都得請假,今年找工作就像摘星星那麼難,可是我們再難也要去,待在家裡不成。”   

這幾天,湖北省團風縣金鑼港農場農民工舒勤每天都要到縣城轉一圈,唯恐漏掉一份“招工啓事”。他原先在浙江一家工具廠當車工,去年國慶節廠裡發不出工資就返鄉了,年前參加了縣裡組織的焊工培訓,准備到當地新投產的鋼結構廠應聘。20歲剛出頭的舒勤擼起袖子對記者說:“你看,我一身力氣,閑了快三個月,就想快點幹活掙錢。”   

近幾年農村政策“利好”不斷,可是不少農民的第一選擇依然是外出務工。湖北省洪湖市遠景村農民周玉祥在外打工已經六七年,從東莞到中山,從針織到電子,轉戰過不少地方和行業。去年9月份以來,他所在的廠訂單迅速減少,還有一個月的工資沒拿就回來了。   

32歲的周玉祥說,春節後他首先想到的還是到南方去,相信在那裡能找到“好一點的事情”做。他家原來有3.9畝農田,但早已由村裡流轉,改成了魚池。

城市:現實煩憂,夢想歸宿   

1月28日,大年初三,安徽省阜陽火車站已是人頭攢動,20個臨時售票亭前排起了購票的長隊。阜陽市每年有220萬人外出務工,阜陽火車站是全國十大春運重點站之一。   

來自臨泉縣的王曉東原來在上海打工,他回鄉參加了縣裡的厨師培訓班。如今,他決定和幾個夥伴一起到上海郊區去開家小餐館,而且想早點去尋個合適的地點。談起前途,他顯得有些惘然:“在大城市,辦個證啊,支個攤啊,哪樣不得求著人,頭一年要能糊口俺就滿意了。”   

“問君能有幾多愁,恰似一江春水向東流”,來自阜南縣的農民工周太平憋出一句古詩詞對記者說。他口袋裡揣著鉗工、焊工和車工三本技工證,還是擔心找不到好工作。可最讓他擔心的還是同行的妻子和5歲的兒子。他說:“把他們擱家裡吧,一年見不著面,心裡放不下;帶出去吧,怕租不到房子,怕看不起病,怕兒子上不起學。”   

不少農民工告訴記者,過去不少“城中村”有便宜的房子可租,生活也很方便,可這幾年“城中村”一個接一個地消失了,變成豪華的高樓大廈,缺少合適的房子可租,農民工生活成本大大提高。   

欠薪是多數農民工最大的擔憂。去年9月底,記者在深圳市龍崗區采訪時,遇到一家港資企業的上百名員工正在封堵廠門。農民工胡振萍、王仁蘭等人反映,廠方突然宣布停產,只兌付一半的工錢,大家感覺很震驚。1月29日晚上,記者電話聯系到正在四川老家過年的胡振萍,他說,目前,工人們已經委托了律師,正在通過法律程序依法解決問題。“我希望在新的一年,政府能更多地關心和關注農民工群體的權益保護問題。”   

“農民工不怕受苦,就怕受氣。”這是全國人大代表、重慶籍農民工康厚明的口頭禪。他說,目前,不少地方政府給農民工很多幫助,讓他們在城裡逐步找到些家的感覺,但還有一些實際困難,需要政府幫助解決。他提出三個建議:一是切實解決向農民工子女入學收取借讀費問題;二是希望國家盡快制定在全國通行的社保制度;三是除幫助就業外,還要多關心勞保、維權等問題。   

“兄弟姐妹把胸膛挺起來,歷經艱辛不怕風吹雨打”,奔馳的列車,載著滿懷期盼的農民工,將鏗鏘不屈的旋律帶向四面八方。