We often talk about a work-life balance, but what does balance look like with TAing?
Now that we’re nearing the end of term, and with the changing seasons (as well as plenty of rain), I’m sure some of us are feeling a bit burnt out and tired. On top of that, balancing emotions while TAing, especially when the subject matter we’re marking gets heavy, can be difficult. Some professors have different policies; marking can be switched between TAs if they feel uncomfortable with grading the work. But the moments leading up to realizing it’s not something they can mark, or even trading assignments with other TAs can still take a toll. TAing is emotional work, whether it’s reading creative work or following up with students—empathy towards others is important, but so is empathy towards what you’re able to give now.
I’ve also realized something about myself recently—I’m highly sensitive to sensory stimuli, such as loud noises or lights, and I am often so rattled by an argument that it takes me days to process it—until then, the emotion remains in my body. In other words, I identify as a highly sensitive person. Whether it’s due to this trait or my depression (or perhaps a combination of both), organizing my emotions sometimes feels like another part-time job.
So how do we balance emotions and TAing? Please note, these are suggestions and might not work for you, but I hope to share something that might be helpful to try. Here are some philosophical and practical ways I found lightness in between marking and other responsibilities:
- Finding poetry in everyday moments
I enjoy finding moments that sparkle or give me energy. Similar to how a poem can be gentle and light at moments, but heavier and smoky in others, I’ve found similar beauty and tension in nature. For instance, in sunsets and sunrises guarded by mountains, or the way the wind brushes my wrist in mornings. When I’m more open to these moments of beauty, the overwhelming moments feel more manageable. Writing down these moments or taking photos can also help with rainier days and moods.
- Budgeting: Time, Energy, and Happiness
I’m trying a new budgeting schedule for myself—similar to a budget for finances, it’s one that explores time, energy, and happiness for the projects or tasks I want or have to complete. Many tasks that take less time, such as getting groceries, can take away energy that might result in the rest of the day being less productive than anticipated. Further, determining the happiness level of tasks should help with how many additional projects I decide to take on.
- Listening to Self-Compassionate Music
I actually have a playlist called “Songs for Life” that I listen to, filled with musical theatre or Disney songs that channel healing or warrior energy. I find it helpful to have music for different tasks sometimes, such as music I listen to for walks where I don’t want to think, or for taking out the garbage.
- Finding a Rhythm
I find it helpful to potentially scout locations on walks for library spots or café locations that look like relatively quiet places to work, ideally next to windows and nature. Keeping one or two locations as my working spots, and avoiding it for other relaxing tasks, helps me keep a better work-life balance. Also, starting my marking from the middle or end of a batch of students, and skipping back-and-forth between different moments, helps me establish a rhythm more readily than going from the first student to the last. Sometimes, finding the ones that are easier to read (I find Cambria a difficult font) and saving the more complex ones for last is also helpful strategy. Lastly, for classes where students submit multiple genres, I like to go through first for one genre (ex. poetry), before switching over the rubric for another genre.
- Dance and Movement
I can’t count the number of times I’ve felt lethargic for most of the day before going to a dance class and feeling much more invigorated. Yoga also helps clear my mind—finding room and space for movement can be hard in a packed-day, but consider taking a slightly longer route to walk home, or getting off the bus a stop or two before. Alternatively, doing stretches in-between marking sprints can also be helpful.
- Surround yourself with care
The environment in which I work affects my mindset, which is why periodically I clear my table to work. Similarly, taking care of my diet and making sure I have breakfast has helped me balance workloads. As well, the people we interact with and care about have an impact—I have slowly started to gravitate towards those who make me feel warm and light.
These are a few approaches I rely on to balance the emotional workload of being a TA as well as other responsibilities. Let me know if any of that resonates with you and/or if you have advice that you can share with others to make it through this busy marking season!