One of the most important things I read in 2021 was Adam Grant’s article in the New York Times, “There’s a Name for the Blah You’re Feeling: It’s Called Languishing.” I listened to numerous discussions of it in various podcasts and had my own discussions about it with friends and co-workers.
Much of it is still relevant today. The backdrop of the article is the COVID-19 pandemic as it was in 2021. Over a year on, this backdrop seems different from the 2022 attitudes and responses to COVID.
The article which has occupied most of my headspace this year is Anne Helen Petersen's, “The Librarians Are Not Okay.” It is about academic librarians, but I think you could substitute this for other librarians and helping professions and it would still resonate – think teachers, nurses, doctors, psychologists, public servants.
I’ve had good conversations with co-workers about this. A part of me would really like to have a no holds barred discussion with library managers and decision makers about its observations, but then I wonder if that could lead into a very difficult conversation.
Also, today, 1 August 2022, is the 20th birthday of this blog! I am currently on extended parental / paternal leave. I had naïve thoughts that I would definitely restart my blogging habit during this time. Not so much, as a new first-time parent, my days are pretty busy full :) It's been an interesting time - this will be the longest period when I haven't been working. More reflections on this coming up later - baby permitting.