Author: Abigail Miller

As summer heats up, there is no better time to take a vacation or staycation. Taking time away from work has many health benefits including improving your connection to yourself and loved ones and resetting from or avoiding burnout.

The Benefits of Taking a Vacation

Vacationing and taking time away from your job promotes a long, healthy life and has tremendous benefits to your mind. Taking a break from routine in fun and different ways can have the same benefits as consistent meditation exercises and help you build connections with not only your loved ones but yourself, too. In addition, taking a vacation has been scientifically proven to boost brain power. Taking time off from learning, working and gaining new information every day allows your brain to consolidate existing knowledge, resulting in improved learning after vacation.

The benefits go beyond just your mind — they affect your body too. Through reduced stress, vacations can improve heart health and decrease the chances of metabolic diseases or conditions. Vacation time also improves sleep as poor sleep habits can be broken when sleeping in a new place. Coming home after vacation feels like sleeping in another new place, allowing those improved habits to continue.

Using vacation time is one of the best ways to reset from or avoid burnout. Check out this video from the MSU Worklife Office on how to recognize and minimize burnout. Learning the signs and how to work toward health is a positive way to promote workplace well-being.

Before Going on Vacation

To take full advantage of these benefits, you should consider fully unplugging from work — those emails and phone calls won’t go anywhere.

Before you head to the airport or hit the road, set up automatic email replies with your out-of-office details including when you will be back, who to contact in the meantime, and how to contact you in case of an emergency. If you use a shared calendar with your team, add your out-of-office dates as early as possible and notify your team verbally and/or by email. If you have ongoing projects, consider asking a coworker, supervisor, or team member to check up on them while you are away and plan to share updates when you return. If possible, leave work-related things at home or at the office to prevent the temptation to focus on work. Finally, prepare for the day you return from work before you leave by keeping your schedule as clear as you reasonably can on your first day back.

Returning from Vacation

Returning to work can often be stressful and sometimes undo the rest you achieved on vacation. To avoid getting immediately burned out, take time to ease back into your work routine. Try to avoid scheduling several meetings on your first day back and try not to set or meet big deadlines during your first week back in the office. The more time you spend away, the more time you should give yourself to get back to your normal work pace and routine.

In addition to easing into your normal work routine, it’s important to unplug from work at the end of each day. It’s easy to get burned out if you are mentally on the clock 24/7, answering emails and catching up during nights and weekends. You can use Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Google Calendar and other work team services to set out-of-office messages at the end of your workday. Finally, avoid stress by taking the necessary steps to be productive and engaged as shared in this earlier post about avoiding and reducing burnout.

All these tips and more are available through these links:

• Why Taking Vacation Time Could Save Your Life (Forbes.com) 
• 11 Tips for Totally Disconnecting From Work on Your Vacation (mentalfloss.com) 
• Burnout: How to Avoid It and What To Do if You are Experiencing It (sourcelive.hr.msu.edu)

National Insurance Awareness Day (June 28) encourages us to review our insurance options to make sure we’re enrolled in the best plans for our families. As an MSU employee, you have a variety of benefit options available to you beyond just health care and dental plans. While many of these benefits allow you to enroll in or make changes at any time, several require you to sign up, change or cancel enrollment during the Open Enrollment period in October. If you’re interested in a benefit but unable to sign up right away, review the plan options and make a list of changes you’d like to make so you’re prepared for the upcoming Open Enrollment period in October.

Benefits without an Enrollment Period

The following benefits are available to enroll in, change or cancel at any time. You’ll find a brief description of each benefit below and you can click on the benefit name for more details and information on how to enroll/register.

• Auto: find special pricing on insurance for your vehicle through Farmers GroupSelect (formerly MetLife) or Liberty Mutual Insurance.
• Home: find special pricing on insurance for your home through Farmers GroupSelect (formerly MetLife) or Liberty Mutual Insurance.
• Livongo by Teladoc Health: employees and their dependents enrolled in an MSU health plan can receive diabetes management supplies and coaching for free.
• Pet: find special pricing on pet insurance through Nationwide.
• Teladoc Health: an online medical care service that gives you 24/7 access to a healthcare professional via web, phone, or mobile app. Use Teladoc to get help for a range of conditions including cold/flu, bronchitis, allergies, pink eye, dermatology and more.
• Teladoc Medical Experts: get medical advice from leading medical experts. Whether you need medical questions answered, a diagnosis double-checked, help deciding on a treatment plan or guidance about a surgery, Teladoc Medical Experts can help.
• TruHearing: Some benefit providers offer discounts on hearing aids. Please contact the providers directly to learn more about the discounts they offer.
• Educational Assistance: support staff have access to educational assistance funds to help pay for credit and non-credit professional development opportunities.

Benefits with an Enrollment Period

The following benefit options have an enrollment period. This means you can only enroll in, change or cancel the benefit during Open Enrollment in October each year. We encourage you to review the plans you’re currently enrolled in along with the options available and make a plan to make any necessary changes this October. Please note that updates for the 2025 plan year will be shared this September prior to Open Enrollment in October:

• Critical Illness: MetLife gives you extra cash in the event you or a covered family member experiences a covered illness.
• Dental: various plans are available based on your employee type. We encourage you to check which dentists are available in your area before enrolling in a new plan.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA): there are two FSA options available for employees – Dependent Care FSA and Health Care FSA. Be sure you know the difference before you enroll.
• Health Care (including prescription): various plans are available based on your employee type and work location.
• Legal: ARAG currently offers several plan options to help cover a wide range of legal needs.
• Life/Accident Insurance: several types of life insurance are available for you to enroll in, along with voluntary Accidental Death and Dismemberment insurance.
• Vision: two plan options are available through VSP for vision care.

Please visit the HR website to learn more about all the benefit options available to you. For questions about enrollment and eligibility, please contact the HR Solutions Center at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434.

Article Updated June 2024

This week’s featured job is a Sous Chef position for Culinary Services at Akers Dining Hall (job posting 962522). MSU Culinary Services prides itself on putting employees first, building great skills, and creating a fun and safe work environment. The Culinary Services Team works alongside Student Life and Engagement to ensure that the Spartan Journey is embraced through all aspects of the MSU experience, including the dining hall experience.

Culinary Services is looking for someone to oversee food production and menu development, ensuring that quality food meets all student dietary needs. In this position, you will coordinate meal prep and recipes with the team, monitor food inventory, ensure allergens are properly tagged, and work with the Executive Chef to modify menus based on customer feedback. You will also supervise the floor while redirecting and assessing employee placements based on dining hall needs. This will include conducting biweekly one-on-one meetings and annual performance evaluations.

As the Akers Dining Hall Sous Chef, you will train and direct your team to Deliver Outstanding Spartan Experiences. You will also maintain proper storage and communicate expectations of leftover food to the team. As the head of staff development, you’ll provide structured training to your staff and create a “Cooks Training Program” for student and on-call staff. Work hours are 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. with rotating weekends.

To apply for this position, you should have 2–3 years of culinary school experience and 3–5 years of related work experience in food production and supervision. You should have experience working with people of all social backgrounds and skills communicating with multiple cultural environments and identities.

Learn more about Culinary Services here. To learn more about this position or if you are interested in applying online, please visit the Careers at MSU website for more information! Applications require a resume and cover letter and must be submitted by July 2.

If you and your family are looking for activities in the upcoming month, you’ve come to the right place. July holds many virtual and in-person opportunities in the Greater Lansing area for you to check out. Click the links below to explore future events and register if required. 

Campus Events 

July 14th – Deep-Rooted with Beal Botanical Garden: From 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., join us at the Beal Botanical Gardens for the summer edition tour of the gardens. Maeve Bassett, Applied Ethnobotanist and Education Program Director will lead the tour and teach about the historical, social, and political narratives surrounding the gardens. Register to join this interactive learning experience at the Beal Botanical Gardens!  

July 20th – Chill Out with Art: If you are looking for a fun and relaxing summer event, come to the MSU Broad Art Museum for our “Chill Out with Art” event. From 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., you and your friends can come explore exhibitions, explore your artistic side, and enjoy cool summer treats. Registration for this free event is encouraged. 

July 31st – Eastside Eden: Join us at this all-day event (dawn until dusk) for a self-guided walking tour of the gardens and farms in cooperation with the “Food Fight!” exhibition at the MSU Museum CoLab Studio. Explore out intricate food systems and community gardens at your own pace and experience Lansing’s food in peak bloom! Check out the website above for important notes and guidelines for this event. 

Family Friendly Events 

July 1st – Lansing Lugnuts Game: Come to a Lansing Lugnuts home game to cheer on our local minor league baseball team! Starting July 1st, we will have seven Lugnuts games with various themes celebrating Independence Day, Kid’s Day, and more! Visit the website linked above to buy tickets for you and your family today!

July 6th – MSU Broad Art Museum, Family Day FEEL: Join us for a family-friendly event on the first Saturday of the month at the Broad Art Museum. You and your family can make creative connections with our exhibits and other hands-on activities to express yourself through the art of painting at this event from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.. Registration is encouraged for this free and public event.

July 11th – Inflatable Mania: From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Mount Hope Park, come check out the first Inflatable Mania event! With an Animal Kingdom area geared towards toddlers, there will be a 5-in-1 castle, baseball game, tropical inflatable course, and more for everyone of all ages to enjoy. There will also be live music and catering by Lions Club Concessions for some (cash only) snacks for sale! Follow the link to register for this free event to fill up your Thursday evening with the family. 

July 11th & 25th – East Lansing Moonlight Film Festival: The Moonlight Film Festival is returning this summer to Valley Court Park! Bring your blankets and snacks and join us at 9:30 p.m. on these two Thursdays in July for the viewing of Wonka (7/11) and Barbie (7/25). 

July 17th – Flower Arranging for Kids: From 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., bring the kids down to Sparrow Bloom Flower Shop to create their own mini-flower arrangements. Parents are encouraged to stay and join in the fun! Tickets are first come, first served, and will include all of the materials – the kids just need to bring their imagination and creativity. Be sure to purchase your tickets while you can in the link above! 

Learning Opportunities

July 9th-11th – Lean Foundations: If you are working to create a solid and sustainable lean journey, this three-day in-person class is perfect for you. Here, we believe a successful lean journey starts by establishing common thinking within your organization. This course has been designed to introduce the four rules and five principles that align thinking within organizations, making the class appropriate for anyone regardless of what kind of organization you are a part of. You will receive a customized coaching session from experienced consultants to apply what you learn in the course to real-world situations within your organization. 

July 11th & 13th – Deepening Your Essential Skills: If you have completed any course offered previously by Spartan Resilience Education, you are eligible to continue learning at this webinar. Here you will have the opportunity to ask questions, raise topics and build community with your peers. Be sure to register for this free course through the link above! 

July 15th–17th – Garden Writers Workshop: If you are a young writer looking for a fun opportunity to learn and explore, join us at the Children’s 4-H Garden for this 3-day writer’s workshop. From 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. each day, children ages 7 and up have the opportunity to learn about writing in the garden and use the inspiration of nature to write poems, stories, plays and more. Registration and pre-payment is required. 

Health & Wellness

July 15th – Rest with Music: Join us at Abrams Planetarium on Monday, July 15th for our once-a-month Rest with Music session. Music is powerful and can heal the mind, calm the body, and regenerate our mind, body, and spirit. Register for 40 minutes of healing, relaxation, and peacefulness for a small break from your busy work week from 12:10 p.m. to 12:50 p.m.. 

Farmers Markets

July 2nd – Downtown Dewitt Farmers Market: Come to the Downtown Dewitt Farmers Market for an evening of exploring small businesses, home-grown foods, treats, and more! Every Tuesday in July, join us from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for some shopping, food trucks and fun in Downtown Dewitt on a warm summer night. 

The 2024 season of the Downtown Dewitt Farmers Market is scheduled to run June 4–Oct.8 every Tuesday from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.. 

July 7th – The East Lansing Farmers Market: Join us in Valley Court Park from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. every Sunday in July for some shopping and fresh air at the East Lansing Farmer’s Market (ELFM). Here you can purchase a variety of fresh goods farm-grown here in Michigan including vegetables, fruits, bread, cheese, honey, flowers and so much more. No registration needed. 

The 2024 season of the East Lansing Farmers Market is scheduled to run June 2–Oct. 28 on Sundays from 10:00 am to 2:00 p.m. in Valley Court Park, 280 Valley Court.

To find a farmer’s market local to you, please visit https://greaterlansingareamoms.com/area-farmers-markets/ for more information.

This week’s featured job is an Information Technology manager for the College of Law (job posting 961231). MSU Information Technology provides the primary leadership for strategic, financial, and policy initiatives affecting IT across MSU. MSU IT and departmental IT staff offer technology resources that support MSU’s mission of providing education, conducting research, and advancing engagement. 

The MSU Office of the Acio is looking for an individual to manage IT planning and operations, ensuring the effectiveness and efficiency of IT in the College of Law. The IT manager will carry out various duties including but not limited to overseeing IT projects and operations, working with the Human Resources team to review personnel actions, and maintaining alignment with the values of the College of Law, all while remaining reliable and on track with the Law Colleges core values. 

As the College of Law’s IT manager, you will be working with the College of Law leadership and stakeholders to align new and improved IT services with incoming needs. You will serve as the liaison for the College of Law, providing key services for the leadership team. The IT manager will also organize communication between IT service support and change with the College of Law and staff. Technology Services prides itself on ensuring ease while using any technology provided at the College of Law or any corresponding buildings. As the IT manager, you will be responsible for establishing and coordinating technology. 

To apply for this position, you should have a 4–year college degree and 8 or more years of work experience in the Information Technology field where you were responsible for overseeing a large group/area. Because you will be overseeing many projects and complex operations, it is important that you have work experience with planning and operating technology with strategic goals in mind, managing budgets and vendor relationships, mentoring staff and reviewing their performances. 
Learn more about MSU IT here. To learn more about this position or if you are interested in applying online, please visit the Careers at MSU website for more information! Applications require a resume and cover letter and must be submitted by July 2.

This week’s featured job is a University Event Coordinator for Registered Student Organizations (job posting 957343), part of the Office of Spartan Experience. The Division of Student Life and Engagement is looking for an individual to supervise the registration of student organizations, plan events, and tend to fall and spring welcome events such as Sparticipation and Springticipation. The Office of Spartan Experiences pride themselves on creating opportunities for students to greater their relationships and goals with the school and their communities.

As the University Events Coordinator, you would be in charge of managing multiple existing initiatives while also implementing new initiatives that align with the school’s core values and inclusivity. You will collaborate with organizations such as the Spartan Leadership Center and the MSU Student Union Advisory Committee to carry out the tasks at hand. A crucial part of this position to be noted is you will be responsible for keeping student leaders safe, especially after late-night events. In this position, you will be responsible for running both committees associated with MSU and for enhancing the overall student experience.

To apply for this position, you should have a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, Communications, Business, etc. or have experience equivalent to one of those degrees. It is also important to have 3–5 years of work experience in PR or communications. You will be working heavily in planning and managing special events and use online tools such as spreadsheets, databases, desktop publishing and virtual presentations, so it is also crucial that you come in with background knowledge in these areas.

To learn more, visit the Registered Student Organizations website. To apply for the position, please submit a resume and cover letter to the Careers at MSU website by June 25th.

There are countless reasons to put off working on a project. Maybe you’re daunted by the size of it, or the deadline is far off, so you don’t feel urgency to get moving. Whether your procrastination is the result of perfectionism, negative thought patterns, or even boredom, there are easy changes you can make to increase your motivation and complete high-quality work without missing deadlines.

Take charge of your day

It’s easy to find excuses to not take action. I don’t have time. I’m too busy. I’ll do it later when things calm down. To move beyond procrastination, you need to take charge of your time.

• Don’t let external demands control your time. Deadlines and mundane tasks are likely a part of your days. Take charge of your schedule.
• Minimize interruptions. Turn off your Teams, Outlook, and text notifications if you can. Block off time on your calendar. Prioritize your tasks. Ask yourself: What needs to be done now? What can wait until later?
• Figure out and respect your preferred working methods and energy levels. Consider when you’re most productive and schedule your day accordingly.

Set small deadlines

If you sometimes feel like you’re accomplishing nothing, it may be because your idea of getting something done is too big.

• Focus on the wins, no matter how small. Set small goals and interim deadlines throughout the day.
• As you hit each small target, you’ll build momentum and feel motivated to strive toward the next goal.

Achieve an optimal level of positive stress

We all face stress at work — deadlines to meet, unexpected problems to solve. It may sound counterintuitive, but a little stress can be a good thing. Positive stress can give you the energy you need to stay motivated. The key is to achieve an optimal level of healthy stress.

• Know your limits. Find a challenge you can realistically take on.
• Don’t be complacent. Push yourself to achieve great things, one step at a time. Remember that a challenge should stretch you without breaking you.

Collaborate to stay engaged

When we pool our resources and expertise to work on a task with others, we share ideas, discuss options, and develop ideas as a team. One person’s enthusiasm might inspire you. New eyes bring new perspectives, which may help you look at a task in a new way.

• To ensure your collaboration is effective, be sure you have a diverse group to offer different perspectives.
• Allow some quiet space to build on the ideas that emerge.
• Effective collaboration can be structured or informal.

Try these techniques to help you take action and leave procrastination behind, and look into self-paced, online elevateU resources for further motivation and guidance.