Health forum examines overloading
by Bernie Scheffler, reporter

    Students were encouraged not to let their busy lives lose balance, as the South Campus kicked off its monthly health forum.

    Flo Stanton, R.N. and South Campus coordinator of health services, presented Balancing Multiple Roles last week.

    After earning her own degrees while she was married with children, Stanton said she knows firsthand how difficult it can be to juggle one’s personal and academic lives.

    The small audience, made up mostly of working women and mothers, seemed to welcome Stanton’s suggestions on how to strike a better balance.

    “Much of the time we don’t know our limits until we’ve gone beyond our limits,” she said.

    To avoid over-stretching oneself, Stanton suggested first identifying each of a student’s roles, such as mother, father, breadwinner, student, etc.

    Each role should then be put in order of importance, and the amount of time to be devoted to each should be determined accordingly.

    During this process, students should be careful not to lose sight of their own needs.

    “When you take care of yourself, you’re more effective in all other roles, as well,” she said.

    She suggested trying to stay as flexible as possible and setting time aside to pamper oneself.

    Stanton stressed that spending such time on oneself is not to be viewed as selfish.

    “The bottom line is that it’s OK to spend ‘me’ time. If I’m out of sync with myself, how can I be in sync with anyone else?” she said.

    For more information or advice, South Campus students should visit the health center, ACB 146.

    The next forum, Positive Self-Talk, will be at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 2, in the SUB Living Room.