Mindfulness for the GEM Professional: Burnout, grit and emotional resilience

As higher education professionals at all levels, we have had to deal with the challenges of having to do more with less and to meet increasing enrollment goals as the enrollment cliff approaches. The “great resignation” also reflected two significant challenges for graduate enrollment professionals; 1) leaders are stressed from having to reach enrollment goals outlined by their respective institutions while keeping the workload of their teams manageable, 2) leaders face burnout from having to juggle these conflicting demands, 3) those in recruitment and admissions positions experience stress from increasing workloads due to workforce attrition. The impact of mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques on graduate admissions professionals has not yet been studied. However, existing research suggests that the use of mindfulness stress-based reduction techniques can address levels of stress experienced by individuals. Additionally, long-term practice of mindfulness techniques can help individuals build grit and emotional resilience that addresses the impact of chronic stress on one’s body. This session will introduce participants to the practice of mindfulness, and how it can be beneficial in lowering stress, anxiety and symptoms of depression for individuals. It will also walk participants through a mindfulness meditation activity and provide several alternatives to meditation for participants.