Mindfulness in the Library: A Response to Burnout and Other Modern Maladies

Register for this four-week online course.

Tuesday, October 18 – Monday, November 14, 2022

Are you experiencing burnout (or care about someone who is)? Are you seeking to cultivate more meaning, connection and embodiment in your daily life? Would you like to remember to step back and see the big picture when seeking to prioritize workplace and other matters?
Join a cohort of library workers to identify root causes and signs of burnout and explore embodied ways to redirect and re-energize ourselves. You will explore and select practices to manage personal stress and develop your own “go to” set that nourishes, protects, and enlivens. Active listening, empathy, connecting with nature and serving the greater good will guide our way forward in this course.

This course will offer perspective, strategies and camaraderie as you navigate challenges and/or seek greater fulfillment.

NOTE: This course is an expanded version of a previously offered course. We grow and change over time. If you participated in the 2-week version of this course fall 2021, this expanded version is an opportunity to explore new content and deepen your practices.

Course Description: This four-week course will include two interactive online sessions. Please make every effort to ensure that you are able to attend these two meetings before enrolling in the course. If this is not possible, archived recordings will be made available for later viewing

• Thursday 10/20/22 10:00-11:15 PT
• Thursday 11/3/22 10:00-11:15 PT

In addition to the scheduled sessions, the instructor will provide a blend of short readings, videos and practices. Using an online forum, you will share insights and ideas with one another with the instructor adding resources and practices to support your journey. By the end, you’ll have your own set of “go to” practices that nourish, protect, and enliven.

Course Outline: When you log in to the Infopeople online learning site, you will see weekly modules with these topics:

Week 1: Finding Solid Ground

• Identify root causes and signs of burnout
• Learn basic practices to awaken the senses and manage personal stress (e.g. straw breath, dynamic movement)
• Set up a platform for personalized set of “go to” practices that nourish, protect and enliven
• Start contributing to a list of resources

Week 2: Boosting Our Immunity

• Experiment with deeper practices
• Continue to collect, evaluate, and organize a personalized set of “go to” practices that nourish, protect and enliven; recommend to others in the course.
• Learn about SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound)

Week 3: Setting Goals

• Understand the practice, benefits and accessibility of Empathy Circles
• Grasp the implications of eco grief
• Consider the importance of deep listening and when to offer feedback or not
• Learn about SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound)

Week 4: Mindfulness Practices

• Experience movement and nature/food connection as mindfulness practices
• Add to your toolkit of “go to” practices
• Refine your three SMART goals

Instructor: Madeleine Charney

See full course information here.

CALL SPONSORED: CALL is offering a limited number of free seats to California library staff in this Infopeople course. Please use the link above to register for one of these no-cost seats. In order to gain the most impact from learning events sponsored by the CALL grant we ask that all participants engage fully (attend, participate, discuss and share). If you are unable or not willing to agree to this, please be kind and leave a seat or place for someone else.