Resilience in the Face of Adversity: Finding Joy and Self-Care Through Technological Triumphs

My community has suffered multiple emotionally tragic and traumatic incidents in the past ~2 weeks, and we will be living with the lingering impact forever even as we learn to process and proceed. It’s a tough time, and I’m thankful for the resilience of students, staff, and families. 

In times like this, the importance of “self-care” (which I strive to promote in tangible and practical ways always, going beyond rhetoric) is especially pronounced. Not only have I been trumpeting this necessity in myriad ways, but it’s been kind to hear how often others are saying “make sure to take care of yourself, too.” 

One thing that brings me joy especially in tough times is learning something new. I bet any of us who love to tinker with technology can relate: the moment in which you have that little celebration because you were trying to overcome a hurdle using a tool, and it hits just right.

Here’s a little example from this weekend: I was trying to solve a problem in which we could devise a spreadsheet that captures a time stamp any time a barcode is scanned, while the barcode results in the population of both student ID and student name. I nailed it, and immediately felt stress relief (that, plus a subsequent chiropractor appointment). What joy! When experimenting, these little ventures can take ~5 minutes or ~an hour, so I’m always thankful when they are sequential and not overly complicated. And, I definitely learned some Google Apps Scripts!

I love spending my time solving problems and tweaking systems until I get them right. If my little experiments and the subsequent resources (such as “how to” guides and “tips and tricks”) can be of use to you, please reach out, so I can let you know how to access them.

Have you had similar moments of data joy? Reach out, if so! I’m always looking for collaborators. And, I’d love to know what other similarly minded folks are doing for self-care!

**A further plug for self-care: We all go through tough times, and I’m thankful to be in a space where I’m surrounded by opportunities to get support when needed. I’m thankful for this not only for myself, but of course, for all those around me being able to do the same. In good times and tough times alike, it’s important to remember all of those who would be lost and hurt without us and why we matter. hugs and reminders to take care of yourself, because you matter!

Now, to enjoy the beautiful weather today and the grill out back…all the while knowing that the REAL challenge will be implementing a nearly-error-free system using this new resource I developed.