Mental Health: Navigating Challenges with Resilience - online

The Berlin University Alliance (BUA) is an alliance of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin,Technische Universität Berlin and Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin.Together, they are pursuing the goal of creating and shaping an integrated research space in Berlin.This alliance aims to establish Berlin as a leading international science location. All workshops and events offered by the Graduate Studies Support Program are funded by the BUA and therefore free of charge.

 

Participation

Doctoral researchers (all disciplines) of the Berlin University Alliance are welcome to join any time.

This event will take place on the platform Lounjee. You can find additional information here (incluiding guides and video explainers). For registration please follow the instructions below.

 

Objectives

This workshop series focuses on meeting and managing the challenges of being a doctoral student while acknowledging and building resources that help deal with the stress each of these challenges brings. Popular websites and articles written to help students build soft skills for the workplace often approach topics like time management, self-organization, conflict management, and intercultural skills with a focus on quick and simple solutions, and may not always leave space for the stress that accompanies many of the challenges students face. In each of these short sessions, we’ll take a look at how to navigate one of the challenges of life in academia with a focus on understanding and reducing stress during the doctorate. These sessions will be a combination workshop/coaching session, and participants will be invited to share their own experiences and get support on challenges that they’re currently facing.

 

Content

Organize Your (Work) Week: Realistic Time Management

• Organization and productivity go hand-in-hand. If I could just get organized, I’d feel so much better about my work! But creating - and actually following - a weekly plan can be a challenge. Learn how to build a realistic schedule that you can really follow, and what to do when you have a hard time sticking with your plans.

 

Hard Asks: How to Say No to Colleagues (and Supervisors)

• Time management experts often point to saying no as an important part of keeping on track and meeting your goals – but it can feel impossible in the moment. Building confidence in turning down requests from colleagues and supervisors that collide with our work and goals is a key to success in academia – and beyond. Learn how to feel more comfortable saying no at work. Explore how to manage requests from others that feel unrealistic or make it difficult for you to get your own work done, and come up with a strategy that truly works for you.

 

Communicating Across Cultures with My Supervisor

• When you’re dealing with a challenging situation with a supervisor as an international student, it’s easy to second-guess yourself, or to feel frustrated because you have different expectations. Is it them? Is it me? Is this a German thing? Using your own experiences and case studies, we’ll explore how to approach conversations and conflicts with your supervisor when you’re talking across cultures, and how to navigate conflicts and difficult conversations. 

 

Difficult Talks: Communicating Problems

• Approaching colleagues or supervisors about potentially challenging issues can be stressful. We often find ourselves trying to accept aspects of our workplace – lack of feedback, confusing expectations, or incompatible communication styles – in order to avoid the stress of navigating a tough conversation. Learn how to manage stress around communication, prepare for and structure difficult chats, and explore how to present your workplace needs in a clear and easy to understand way. 

 

The Job Search: Managing Stress

•  Searching for a job after completing the PhD can be a long process, particularly in Germany. Learn to navigate the stress of searching for a job - looking for potential employers, crafting applications, interviewing, and dealing with a lack of feedback. Explore methods to build confidence, strengthen your network, and feel secure in your job search skills.

 

Stop Procrastinating!

• Getting things done can be challenging, especially for academics and researchers, who often set their own goals. A lack of external deadlines within the framework of our projects can make it easy for us to put off finishing things that don't feel urgent, leaving ourselves under pressure and stressed as things pile up. It's frustrating to put something on the to-do list and find it still there weeks or months later. Discover why we procrastinate and how to manage your tasks effectively. Reduce stress by organizing your to-do list using procrastination-proof methods.

  

How to register?

The event will be held via the Lounjee platform. In order to be able to carry out all access and registration for the individual consultations, please register immediately as follows:

if you are already a member of the Early Career Researchers in Berlin:  https://ecr-berlin.app.lounjee.com/dashboard/events/6322f1edce97128e21d112a0 

→ if are not yet a member of the Early Career Researchers in Berlin:
1. First create an "Attendee account" : https://ecr-berlin.app.lounjee.com/signup
2. Log in here : https://ecr-berlin.app.lounjee.com/login
3. Join the group "Early Career Researchers in Berlin".Special Code: ECR-BUA 

4. Register for the event “Navigating Challenges with RESILIENCE”

 

We recommend using the browser Google Chrome (please clear cache in advance) to be able to use all functions in the event platform Lounjee. Alternatively, Firefox works (please update in advance). The use of other browsers may lead to functional restrictions!