Wellbeing Connections with Dr. Carla is a weekly blog post written by Dr. Carla Chugani, an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh.  At the beginning of the pandemic, Dr. Chugani (a therapist and mental health researcher with expertise in collegiate mental health) was asked to begin preparing weekly wellness emails for her division.  These messages have since spread across her university and she is delighted to share them with the University of Delaware community.  Her weekly messages are a mix of skills from evidence-based practices such as cognitive behavior therapy and dialectical behavior therapy, mindfulness practices, practical tips for solving everyday problems (e.g., email overload and zoom fatigue), and reactions to major world events.  Overall, the goal of these messages is to provide weekly reminders to create space for wellbeing, self-care, and reflection.

Hi Everyone, 

I’ve been thinking a lot about the value of rest during the last week.  I seem to have a sense that I always need to be going, whether it’s work related or being productive around the house.  In particular, I don’t get a lot of mental rest because if I’m not doing something, I’m thinking, planning, or trying not to forget all the things that I need to do.  Over the last 15 months, I’ve shared bits and pieces of the struggles I’ve faced, both personally and professionally.  In truth, it would have been a pretty rough year for me even if we hadn’t been in the middle of a global pandemic.  I think the sum of these experiences has been more than I could realistically be resilient in the face of, and the consequence is that I am just tired.  I have a hunch that I might not be the only one feeling tired after the stressors of the last year and a half and if this is the case for you, I hope you’ll find this message helpful. 

Although many of my messages are written in hopes of equipping you with the tools needed to cope successfully with life’s challenges, I also think it is worth noting that when you are tired, it’s important to rest.  We often associate rest with sleeping, but it’s actually so much more than that.  For me, resting right now is also about giving myself permission to stop giving 110% for a little while so that I can recharge my batteries.  Functionally, it’s taking coffee breaks in the afternoon, walking outside to admire my garden when I need to stretch my legs, and listening to my body and giving it what it needs (i.e., I need to stop forcing my body to accept hard workouts and protein bars when what it wants is a nice long walk and some guacamole).  I won’t be resting forever, but as I have allowed myself a little bit of rest during the last week, it’s becoming increasingly clear that this is what I need right now.  In service of rest, I’ll be taking a break from writing new weekly wellness emails until August.  In the meantime, I will still be sending you messages – they’ll just be repeats from the last 15 months!  I hope you take some time to consider whether rest is something you need right now and if so, make some wise-minded adjustments in your life to allow yourself this extra time and space to recharge. 

Best,
Carla