Hi John,

I have found that my peers and I support each other and that helps me with stress, espcially when we are going full-bore in a term, with exams, grading, administration expectations, etc. This is more than just a "gripe session." We take time out to support each other and talk about ways to deal with situations, classroom management, and difficult students, etc. Several of the faculty members in our department are very experienced and are good at listening or sharing advice to assist with an issue. 

Taking time away from campus is also critical. Sometimes I need to get away and "take a deep breath." I do this occasionally with my peers, as a group for lunch or after hours. Also, I make time away from campus for myself, for example, on a Saturday, I put aside grading, lesson plans, emails, etc. and spend time quietly doing something I enjoy, without interruption. I need balance; it cannot be about work, students, my administration, all of the time!

Laura,

Sounds like you have a good team situation there.  We also have "huddles" where we talk about what is occurring in each of our classes and see if any of us need extra support or coverage for one of our classes.  As the semester is always filled with peaks and valleys it is comforting to know that someone has our backs if we need them during extra busy times.  We have incorporated "fill in the blanks" type of assessments for homework which dramatically decreases our grading time.  Thanks for the avenue to read and learn about other best practices.  Jim