Mental Health: Staying sane in academia – maintaining joy and fulfillment at work

TitleTimeRoomTeacher
Mental Health08.03.2024 09:00 - 17:00 (Fri)TUM Graduate School: Boltzmannstraße 17, 85748 Garching, Raum E003Judith Bergner
Keywords: 
Indicators for mental health, for depression („burn out“), self- awareness, self-organization, self-motivation, self-calming, prevent mental exhaustion, dealing with the impostor syndrome, foster mental resilience
Course Description: 

Participants will understand the psychological dynamics leading to mental exhaustion. They also will develop strategies to maintain a motivated, joyful work-life without neglecting difficult circumstances. They will discover how to take care of themselves and manage emotions in order to foster mental strength/ resilience. Also they will be equipped with methods to “stay on top” when tasks, demands and duties seem to be overwhelming. They will learn how to maintain confidence when results are sometimes lacking. Exercises will make it easy to put empirical research into practical experience. All exercises are easy to transfer into daily routines.

Course aims: 
  • Competence to manage emotions wisely: establish a sense of coherence i.e. satisfaction, meaning and confidence with (work- ) life
  • Competence to organise self (including tasks, to do´s and duties) with ease
  • Competence to maintain motivation and joy in (work-) life, including the ability to deal with setbacks 
Teaching methods: 

Presentation of empirical research, Self-reflection, Self-management techniques (e.g. Julius Kuhl, Daniel Kahneman, Gabriele Oettingen), Mental exercises (e.g.: “activating inner resources”)

This course fits doctoral candidates in the following phase: 

At the beginning of the doctorate │ during the doctorate

Participation requirements: 

None.

Technical requirements: 

None.

Course preparation: 

None.

Additional information: 

None.

What participants say about this course: 
  • Very open and warm-hearted, trusting atmosphere
  • Welcoming atmosphere and possibility to talk about all our individual problems.
  • Nice and open conversations.
  • The interaction between the trainer and the other students with exchange of experiences. Good examples. Suggested methodologies were presented clearly. Overall well done.
Category: 
Fachübergreifende Veranstaltung
Event type: 
Seminar/Workshop
Organizer: 
Graduate School Geschäftsstelle
Responsibility for event: 
Hauptverantwortung
Format: 
In Präsenz
Course Language: 
EN
Course Capacity (Max): 
12
Course capacity (Min): 
1
Duration in hours: 
7
Financial contribution: 
20 Euro
Trainer: 
Judith Bergner

Having been a single mom and a self-employed business consultant Judith Bergner was forced to take care of herself responsibly in order to be a good mother, a successful consultant and a happy human being.
Having learnt a lot about mental strength from private experience, she studied scientific research about the issue with great interest. She enjoys the opportunity to design and deliver a course on the topic and to support doctoral candidates to stay confident, strong and healthy during challenging times.