I don’t know any academics who are not struggling right now. 11 months in + we are at the point of serious fatigue + stress. Add another UK lockdown + most I know are on the edge. ‘Just do what you can, when you can’ is all we can ask of each other 1/5

In addition I suspect many of us are enduring trauma, grief, fear + developing new mental health problems. I am increasingly worried about how I will ever cope in crowded campus situations again + find places like supermarkets cause an anxiety I have never before experienced 2/5

Yesterday I just had to stop work at 4pm and watch Netflix all evening. Like everyone I have an unending to do list, but I was just too exhausted + numb to do any more. Term here has not even started yet 3/5

Please let’s remember that most of us feel this way. We are still in survival mode, we will be for much of 2021, we need to be kind to each other, only do what is absolutely essential, not assume anything about a colleagues capacity 4/5

We can only do what we can, when we can. We will each have different ways of surviving + coping, but most of us cannot be ‘productive’ or ‘excellent’ at what we do right now. Let’s just focus on surviving as best we can + remember that is all anyone else can do too 5/5