Tag: IRL

Dealing with Burnout

Feeling fatigued? Want to stay in bed and recharge? See the bags under your eyes despite sleeping 8+ hours?

That could mean a lot of different things but what if it revolved around your work?

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I know that feel too via GIPHY

Tips to get yourself recharged and energized for work!

  • Do not bring work home. As a librarian, reading is part of the job, even if it means previewing a book in case patrons have questions. Sometimes you can feel overwhelmed when it’s the weekend and you’re waiting on confirmation for a program or anxious because you forgot to finish something before closing time. It’s okay. You’re not alone, I need to repeat it every day at closing. For reading, read something you want rather than reading something off your work list.
  • Log out of your email. It’s tempting but do not enable work email on your phone or your home computer. Nooooo. Nope. Nada. Keep that at work.
  • Stress-less hobby. Rather than saying “mindless”, do something that doesn’t cause you stress. For me it’s playing video games or doodling in my bullet journal. With video games, I need to monitor my stress levels and need to listen to myself when it’s time to quit a game.
  • Take a walk. Fresh air, greenery, just walking around outside is a nice change of pace after being cooped up in the office.
  • Treat. Your. Self. Finished a program you’ve been planning for 3 months? Treat yourself. Successfully completed a reference transaction? Pat yourself on the back and treat yourself. Got a negative reaction from a situation you could not control? Learn and treat yourself.
  • Vacation or Sick Day. Take a mental health day or plan a few months in advanced a couple days to refresh yourself. You need to recharge yourself but do not feel bad that your coworkers are picking up your slack. They’d want you at 100% rather than 25% and unable to provide teamwork. I feel bad calling in sick but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Self-Reflection: Stress Relief and Composure

So here and I doing my thing. It’s the last meeting for the Teen Library Council. Unfortunately all but one teen couldn’t make it. So here I am, one on one with our Teen Library Council, asking for feedback and reflect on the past year. This member is a huge anime and manga fan and is very good about suggestion which series are popular among friends and classmates in high school. We’re talking story, it’s a very chill atmosphere, and I drop my “official” demeanor and let slip some of my fangirl persona since we’re discussing a topic we mutually like.

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We must have been very relaxed because the member mentioned how I act like Retsuko of Aggretsuko fame. At the time I wasn’t familiar with the character, only knowing the anthropomorphic red raccoon was a new character amongst the cute Sanrio characters I knew of when I was a kid. Essentially the conversation turned to how, as a librarian, you present yourself professionally then you let loose with your favorite hobby. The Council Member is a huge fan of the Netflix series and encouraged me to watch it to understand how Retsuko acts. As I watched the series later that night, Retsuko is a salary woman working in accounting for a big firm. She deals with the day to day with a calm demeanor then unleashes her stress and rage at night in her own private sanctuary: a karaoke room.

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Self-reflecting on our conversation, I got this thought (and please feel free to comment). That we present ourselves as professionals to the public. My Teen Library Council had asked me questions about the job: Do you need a Master’s degree? What kind of experience would be good to work with the public? Now I look back a question I’m sure they had since it was the same when I was a kid which was How can you keep your composure? Just like Retsuko singing karaoke, my outlet is reading manga!

We all have our different ways of expressing and releasing stress from keeping a professional composure. How do you reflect your professional life? What are ways you do to release stress?

Kawaii Kon – A Volunteer Saga

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Kawaii Kon has come and gone. An excited event filled with numerous events and guests from all over the world. To a happy Kon!

This year was my second year volunteering for our public library system booth located inside Kawaii Kon’s Artist Alley. I must say, it was a fun and interactive experience, learning new things as time goes on. My partner in crime being Hillary C., my co-presenter from our 2017 Hawaii Library Association panel on graphic novels.

I was only able to stay for 1 hour due to a last-minute schedule change with my volunteering time for Kawaii Kon but what an hour! We interacted with 80 people in 1 hour! Considering how quiet Sundays usually are for a convention and we came in after the lunch rush, I’d say that’s pretty awesome.

How it worked: Attendees who show their library card can get a choice of a manga or book! This year there were puzzle books and superhero graphic novels aside from manga and literature. No library card? No problem! Get a free pencil or sticker! Grab a library card application to fill out and turn in to your nearest library to have a card and account set up.

Why volunteer: Get the library out into the community! Libraries are just filled with classical literature. There are still people surprised and happy to see the public library booth at the convention, it makes us happy to be noticed.

Is cosplay mandatory at the booth? Not at all, go with yourcomfort zone. Cosplay? Always a good idea! Also an excuse to wear cute costumes! No cosplay? No problem! If anyone asks, say you’re displaying as an otaku librarian. I can say that as my official “cosplay” for 2 years.

I hope to continue my volunteer saga so we’ll see about next year! 😄

Bullet Journal 101 for Teens

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Here’s to 2018, a new year filled with adventure and goals! I’ve been keeping a bullet journal consistently since mid-2017 and found that it has helped me a lot. It got me thinking, teens could get into this as well! When I was in school, I wasn’t keen on my school planner but with bullet journaling, I can create and mold the planner to my lifestyle. For school, I’m a few years too late on that boat. Not too late for the teens though!

Number of participants: 2
Total: 5 (parents included)

We went over what a bullet journal is and the basics of what it entails. We watched a quick video by Buzzfeed (~4 minutes) on starting a bullet journal. Understandably we did talk about how the video wasn’t geared towards teens. That’s okay though because we made it our way!

Then we showed off supplies!

 

Each pouch had:

  • 4 binder clips
  • 1 washi tape
  • 1 multi-colored pen with 6 different color ink
  • 1 black gel pen
  • 1 double-sided tape dispenser with whiteout tape on the other side
  • Each participant can choose between a grid notebook or a blank notebook (dot/lined was not available)

We went over the handout, from bullet journal basics to supplies then to steps.

 

Bullet Journal 101

First we made a key. Second we made an Index. We all made a weekly page together to try our hand at making a template. Afterwards the participants were free to brainstorm and create for their journal. Some pages that were created:

  • Favorite book genre page
  • Art page
  • Favorite sticker page

 

Overall the program was a hit with the kids and the parents. We extended the time by half an hour so the kids can create more. We had a couple books available for everyone to read through, one of which was listed in the handout.

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What I should have done:

  • Change signage to read open to 6th – 12th grade instead of 7th – 12th grade.
  • Have blank template examples ready to look at/to take home. I’ve seen some journals where they print their template out, cut and tape inside their journal.
  • Make it more teen friendly. I know I listed template ideas but let’s discuss/brainstorm ideas and ask the teens themselves what would be an essential template for them. Also mold templates for “adulting” such as expense tracker to teens, such as turning it into an allowance tracker.

I would definitely do this program again. I would move it to December so that participants can brainstorm and create their bujo prior to the new year starting. As someone who has been attempting to be organized, I found that creating a bujo has helped in both the personal and professional arena. I’m able to keep better track of my readings, errands, and thoughts that would otherwise be a pile of Post-It Notes, scribbles in my notebook, or lost in my file cabinet monster. I hope that teens will be able to use this technique to organize themselves in this rapidly changing world. Here’s to a new year, new you!

*Note: Jennifer F. of The Artist Librarian took pictures of the program but sadly they couldn’t upload correctly. I wanted to give a shoutout to her for coming in and observing! ❤️