Welcome to Session 5
5.1 Introduction - Network, Motivations & Challenges
In session five, you'll be covering:
5.1 Introduction - Network, Motivations & Challenges
5.2 Your Network - Here you will define professional networks and evaluate your role in them
5.3 Valuing Everyone - In this activity you will explore diversity and equality
5.4 Challenges - Here you will reflect on challenges you have faced.
5.5 Solutions - And here you will express your solutions
5.6 Work Life Balance - In this activity you will get some top tips for achieving the perfect balance.
5.3 Valuing Everyone
Unconscious biases are social stereotypes about certain groups of people that individuals form outside their own conscious awareness. Everyone holds unconscious beliefs about various social and identity groups, and these biases stem from one's tendency to organise social worlds by categorising.
Our biases are influenced by our background, cultural environment and personal experiences. We may not even be aware of these views and opinions, or be aware of their full impact and implications.
It is important to be aware of our unconscious biases, so that we actively manage them and remember the value everyone has to bring. Having an unconscious bias does not make you a bad person, everyone has them, it is simply something to be aware of and consider whether unconscious bias might affect your judgement.
Harvard University have done some research around “implicit bias” and suggests that people can act on the basis of prejudice and stereotypes without intending to do so. If you are interested in the research, you may wish to visit their website at the link here to take a look.
5.5 Solutions
Click on the pink + to share your thoughts
5.6 Work Life Balance
It's really important for your own health and well being to manage a healthy work life balance. It's not always easy to achieve, especially when working at home, but small changes and routines can make a big difference. In the video below, Millie talks about one of the challenges she faced in managing a work life balance, and what she has implemented to make it work for her.
Advice and Top Tips
Routine
It is important to have a routine and working hours to ensure you set yourself up for success. The flexibility of a virtual placement might allow you to dictate some of these hours yourself, but it is important your employer knows when you are working, and that you are available when they are so that you can work together.
Take Regular Breaks
Breaks are important for you physical and mental well being. Whether its putting the washing away, cleaning the pots, ringing a friend or doodling, make sure you take regular breaks away from your screen to keep yourself feeling refreshed
Exercise
It is so easy to sit at your desk, kitchen table or lounge chair all day without moving if you become engrossed in your work, but is not healthy. Ideally you should go for a little walk to stretch your muscles and refresh the mind. Consider going out for a walk a short yoga practice in the middle of the day. Take a look a this 14 minute office yoga routine.
Switching off
Switching off from work can be difficult, especially when working at home - there is no commute, and you don't really leave the office. Once you finish work for the day, switch off the devices you are using for work and break up the transition from work to home life with an activity. This might be a walk, a dance, listening to music, reading a magazine, something creative or simply saying your your goodbyes out loud to the virtual office.
Support
Sheffield Hallam provides lots of support services for students, and if you find you are struggling, it is important to reach out for support. Remember that student support advisors and the student well being team are readily available to help you, and information on virtual support is also provided in the link above.
Big White Wall is a safe online community of people who are anxious, down or not coping, who support and help each other by sharing what’s troubling them, guided by trained professionals. It can help you start to take control and get the support you need to feel better. Available 24/7, Big White Wall's professionally trained Wall Guides ensure the safety and anonymity of all members, so you can express yourself freely and openly.
Advice from Students
Finally, we encourage you to take a look at the blog article below written by current SHU students about remote learning and remote working - click on the image below and you will be re-directed to a new tab. This includes tips on motivation, peer support and socialising, which are all relevant to what we've covered in today's session. There are some great pieces of advice in here too.
5.7 You Attributes - Action
Over our sessions so far, you will have had a formal opportunity to reflect on how you are developing your personal attributes, and shared this with us. Again, ahead of next week, we would like you to identify a third personal attribute, and spend some time reflecting on how you are using or developing this attribute during your placement.
Regular reflection at the end of the working day is essential to be able to recognise how you are developing.
This will be vitally important for the main activity in Session 6, so please ensure you identify an attribute, and take the time to reflect on it over the course of your placement, before the next session.
5.8 You've completed session five!
Some optional additional courses and information have been curated to help enhance your knowledge and skills. You don’t have to read or do them all, but do browse them and use what will be of the greatest value to you: