Your department is not a family. Stop calling it that.
Employee Family Boundary Have you read The Book of Boundaries by Melissa Urban? If you haven’t, order it from your favorite independent bookstore right now. It’s an amazing guide and could change parts of your life (it has scripts!). Urban is the co-founder of Whole30 and an expert at helping people set boundaries, particularly around […]
My famous pumpkin bread
For about two decades I have been making pumpkin bread. The recipe has been in my husband’s family for some time. I have served it at my sons’ birthday parties, added it to the Thanksgiving dinner roll basket, and gifted it to family, friends, and neighbors. My mom is known for her homemade apple pie. […]
What I am grateful for right now
Gratitude For College Leaders November is a time when many of us reflect on what we are grateful for. In addition to being a tradition during this time of year, there is evidence that practicing gratitude enhances our long-term happiness, increases our emotional well-being, improves our relationships, and improves our effectiveness at work. With this […]
Secrets to 25 Years of Marriage
Relationship Lessons for Women Leaders We are back from our annual family vacation at Cape Cod (“The Cape” for us locals), and while we were there my husband and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. We celebrated at The Ocean House where we enjoyed an outdoor dinner overlooking the ocean. While we were there, we […]
What if we summered like Europeans?
Vacation Planning for College Admin I saw this meme recently and it got me thinking about how relentless we are when it comes to work. I just returned from a week of local travel. I know I will be a more creative and productive employee when I return to work because I took time off. […]
Changing Summer Traditions
Summer Traditions in Higher Education I’m back. The spring semester kicked my ass. I’m finally feeling human again. I love the summer. It is my favorite season. The pace is slower. We spend more time outside and more time with friends and family. Now that I’m fully vaccinated, I am eager to return to our […]
Pandemic Holidays
Pandemic Reflections for Higher Ed Professionals Holidays were different this year. For the first time, we celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas with just the four of us. We were without the rituals and traditions that provide structure and set expectations for how we celebrate holidays as a family. I was determined to maintain some of our […]