Welcome to the Faculty Wellbeing Spotlight, a new initiative dedicated to fostering a culture of health, balance, and connection within our department. In the fast-paced world of academia and medicine, we often look to our peers for inspiration on how to navigate the demands of research, teaching, and clinical care.
Each quarter, we feature one of our colleagues to share their personal wellness journey. These stories highlight the “non-negotiable” habits that keep them grounded and the strategies they use to maintain boundaries and find joy in their work.
This Quarter’s Feature:
We are thrilled to launch this series with Dr. Ashwin Ramayya. Dr. Ramayya shares his unique perspective on defining well-being in a demanding environment and the specific practices that help him “reset” and stay focused.
What does “well-being” or “wellness” mean to you?
To me, wellness means alignment. Does how you want to be spending your time and energy match well with how you want to be spending your time and energy? Because we all have unique preferences, the specifics of wellness can vary from individual to individual. Also, it can evolve over time. Personally, my view of wellness changed dramatically once we had our first daughter.
In the demanding environment of academia, how do you successfully set and maintain boundaries between your professional responsibilities (research, teaching, service) and your personal life? Can you share a specific strategy that has worked well for you?
I do my best to be present in the moment when I am at home. It is easy to be physically present, but not mentally or emotionally present in the moment, which can be deflating. I have found that putting the phone away in another room (but keeping the ringer on for emergency calls) has been helpful. This is definitely a work in progress, and it takes a deliberate effort. Otherwise, I find myself checking email for no reason before I realize I am doing it.
What is the one non-negotiable daily or weekly practice (big or small) that you prioritize? This is especially important during high-stress periods like grant deadlines.
Over the past year, I have made it a priority to run outdoors. Being outdoors is particularly important, especially given the natural beauty around us here at Stanford
What role do mental rest, physical activity, nutrition, or sleep play in your overall professional productivity and emotional balance? Do you have a favorite way to ‘reset’ your body during the work week?
These are really important factors. I certainly underappreciated these factors throughout residency. I try to do at least one long run outdoors per week. I have found that it helps me see the “big picture” (increased productivity) and be more energized and present at home with my family. It provides a clear reset across many domains, mental rest, physical activity, and emotional balance.
How do you cultivate a sense of community, connection, or support within the department or the broader university that contributes to your well-being?
I think it is nice to meet in person as part of community events. These interactions can help form personal connections, which can foster wellness across the community and also lay the groundwork for professional collaborations.
What is a recent personal or professional achievement that you feel was directly supported by your focus on well-being? What did you learn from that experience?
I ran my first half marathon this year near golden gate park. It was a beautiful experience and was only possible because of incredible support from my family. This experience reinforced that small, easy, and regular practices can accumulate over time and help overcome seemingly big obstacles (I had tried twice in the past to train for a half marathon, but was derailed by injury)
What is one book, app, quote, or piece of advice related to mindfulness, productivity, or self-care that you frequently turn to and would recommend to your colleagues?
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
Uptime by Laura May Martin
Get Involved
This project is a collaborative effort to make our department culture more relatable and supportive. A special thank you to Dr. Adela Wu, whose passion for writing and storytelling has been instrumental in bringing these faculty stories to life.
Interested in being featured? If you would like to share your own well-being practices or want to nominate a colleague to be spotlighted in a future quarter, we would love to hear from you! Please reach out to:
- Dr. Adela Wu
- Hurjane Vongsachang