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A recent Inc. op-ed discussed Oprah’s “insight on how to achieve long-term happiness.” The article boiled it down to five words: Do something for someone else.
As the article states, there is science to back up the idea that helping others is good for you. However, if you don’t feel like you have the capacity for grand gestures like a full-fledged mentorship, you’re not alone.
Many higher education professionals are already overworked and underpaid. The work can be difficult and “often thankless,” said Scott Silverman, Ed.D., dean of noncredit and external programs at Santa Monica College. He says this is particularly true for student affairs professionals, who often have “longer hours and typically far lower wages for those with the most student contact.” Yet the trend is pervasive throughout the industry.
So, perhaps the key to tapping into the happiness that comes from helping others may be to find ways to do so that are mentally, emotionally, and practically affordable.
The reality is that generosity and kindness come in all shapes and sizes. What matters more than the grandiosity of your help is the authenticity. Consider the following small ways that you can make a big impact on others without a whole lot of time and effort:
1. Share a Resource
Have you found a new tool or strategy that may be helpful to share with your colleagues? Maybe you found a new way of staying organized, created a time-saving email template, learned a new function in your course management system, or joined an association you’re excited about.
“Some of my best personal learning was asking how a respected senior staff member and their administrative assistant kept their email inbox and calendar organized and maintained timely responses,” Silverman noted.
Whatever it may be, you may be able to lighten the load for your peers by simply sharing this information. These days, creating tutorials or step-by-step guides is easier and faster than ever, with Chrome extensions and screen recording technology.
2. Be a Connector
A simple introduction may take you a few minutes to do, but it could make a huge difference for one of your colleagues, Chris Morett, Ph.D., MPP, reminds us.
Morett, a higher education consultant, founder of Co|Here Campus and Workplace, and former administrator at Rutgers University, said it’s important to remember “the power people have to make connections that help others.”
“Universities are so large that no one can know everyone or everything,” he shared. “If you keep your eye out, there are just so many opportunities to make connections that lead to good relationships, collaboration, and information sharing.”
Being a connector can be as simple as introducing two campus colleagues, but for a wider reach, you might consider hosting a campus event to get people in the same room.
“When I was at Rutgers, we worked with individuals across campus who worked on course scheduling,” said Morett. “It occurred to me that — while all these people had similar tasks and experiences — they rarely, if ever, had a chance to get in the room with each other to compare notes and share challenges and solutions,” he adds.
Morett launched an annual breakfast where people could enjoy a meal and connect.
“I made it a point to have no program at all, and only made brief remarks welcoming them and introducing our staff,” he said. “My only goal was to get them all in the room and have at it.” Simply creating the time and space for connection is powerful.
3. Offer Praise
Feeling appreciated at work matters. As Silverman noted above, the work in higher education can sometimes be thankless, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Some institutions have implemented formal feedback or recognition programs, but even if yours hasn’t, you can still take it upon yourself to offer your colleagues recognition when it’s deserved.
As a previous HigherEdJobs article about the power of praise points out, “It only takes a minute to observe and point out the good things others are doing. But that minute may make all the difference.”
“It doesn’t have to be the holy grail,” Morett said. “Something as small as saying ‘I like how you phrased that idea’ after a meeting can be so meaningful because of how humanizing it is.”
Another important part of offering praise is to give credit where it’s due.
“Promote amazing work someone else does,” Silverman advised. “Help that person get the credit for something in a [team/department] meeting, and take care not to alienate any collaborators by sharing credit and praise with them too.”
Silverman cautioned that this is important for supervisors as well. “Share credit for things,” he said. “Take blame when things don’t work out well.”
This can help employees to view mistakes and failures as growth opportunities and lessons learned.
4. Offer Encouragement
Attitude and empathy are two other powerful tools you have at your disposal to help your team.
Research has found that both positive and negative emotions tend to spread among employees. Colleagues can easily ‘catch’ your bad mood or negative feelings when working in close proximity to you or collaborating on a project.
One of the best ways to help your colleagues is being mindful that you are doing your best to stay positive. It’s easier said than done, especially if you’re overwhelmed, in the wrong job, or teetering on the edge of burnout. If that’s the case, prioritize self-care and lean on your support system.
If a colleague is struggling, lend an ear, offer some words of encouragement, and consider helping (if it’s within reason and you have the availability). Sometimes all that’s needed is the space to talk, vent, or work through an issue.
Above All, Give Authentically
“What all of these ways of helping have in common is that they make the recipient feel like they matter and that someone cares about them,” Morett said. “Directing love, compassion, or kindness towards someone — whatever the specific mode, and even in tiny doses — is always the right thing to do.”
As he hints at, it’s important to acknowledge our own limits. Even though helping others releases endorphins in the brain and boosts happiness, it’s important to consider what this can look like, especially in your current state.
Higher education professionals, especially those who excel, often wind up taking on excessive amounts of work, putting them at high risk of burnout. Before offering to help a colleague or spearhead a new project, take careful stock of your workload, time, and mental state. Prioritizing self-care and protecting your peace are valid choices.
There’s no shame in acknowledging you aren’t in a place right now to take on extra work and saying no. Remember, it’s not a permanent state. There will be ebbs and flows throughout your career. Sometimes you may be able to offer more than other times, and that’s okay.
