Stress management and resilience training for Postdocs

Many Postdocs are highly motivated and driven to succeed in the academic field. But while their minds are buzzing with brilliant ideas, the pressure to perform and the uncertainties in the academic field can take a toll on their well-being and productivity. If approached effectively, these challenges can also be the beginning of a deeply transformative personal and scientific maturation process that paves the road to sustainable success.
The aim of this workshop is to empower participants to manage their energy effectively, step into the unknown of the research process with curiosity and have confidence into their own capacity to overcome obstacles along the way. Therefore, this workshop equips participants with the following tools:

• Mindfulness Tools – to raise self-awareness
• Growth Mindset Reframing – to draw attention to opportunities and possibilities
• Self-compassion – to generate empathy with their own difficulties
• Somatic Tools – to self-regulate under pressure
• Relaxation Techniques – to relax body and mind

This online workshop is practice-oriented and interactive. It offers a mix of theoretic input, individual and group exercises. There is enough space for questions, exchange and discussions. Between the two sessions participants can start to implement the tools, so that they can get feedback in the second part of the workshop.

As a result of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Understand how stress is derailing them and how to get back on track.
• Get work done with a hands-on attitude and with healthy pragmatism.
• Work consistently and steadily on their current work assignments.
• Deal with uncertainty with competence and confidence.
• Focus on possibilities and solutions in the face of failure.
• Overcome drawbacks and difficulties with grace.
• Reduce stress with simple relaxation exercises.

Upon completion participants receive the presented slides as well as audio recordings of the most important mindfulness techniques taught, so that they can implement them optimally.

Trainer

As a mindfulness trainer, Christine Thiel specializes in stress management and resilience training in the academic field. She helps Postdocs shift their approach to work so that they can achieve sustainable success in a fast paced and highly competitive environment without burning out.
After some years in the corporate world, Christine Thiel completed her Ph.D. on the latest trends in the field of remote work at LMU Munich, where she is still lecturing. In her workshops, she combines research about working culture and work-life-balance with the extensive mindfulness experience that she has gained over the years of training in Thailand. Having further studied the mind with recognized mindfulness teachers from the U.S., her approach is secular and scientifically researched.

• Time: Fri, 5 July & Fri, 12 July 2024, each day 09:00–13:00 h
• Location: virtual via Zoom
• Target group: Postdocs of all research fields of the UA Ruhr universities (max. 12 participants)
• Trainer: Christine Thiel
• Registration deadline: 21 June 2024
• Contact for organizational questions: Simon Kresmann, Universität Duisburg-Essen, Graduate Center Plus: gcplusuni-duede

Further information and registration