The final term of the school year is a crazy time in schools. End of year reporting, class allocations, timetabling, budgets and planning for next year swamp us at a time when our energies are low and many of us feel we are running on empty. By the end of the year we are more…
Resilience Research
Why do many people turn out as well as they do despite adverse life circumstances? Instead of being crushed by adversity in their personal life, somehow use it as motivation to grow. Why do people at work, instead of becoming negative and resistant to change, simply accept what is out of their control and make…
Meditation to Calm the Mind
Many societies use meditation as a means of calming the mind from the busyness of everyday life. You don’t have to go to a rainforest, a health retreat or a temple to gain the benefits. Taking just 5 minutes from your busy day to focus on your breathing and calm your mind can have great…
Getting Better Sleep
Often the affects of stress are compounded by problems of not getting the sleep we require. Our active minds and negative self-talk can keep us awake or wake us during the night. Many people who suffer from insomnia start to sleep poorly for some understandable reason (e.g. a baby kept them awake, accumulation of stresses…
Improving Well-Being Starts With You
Staff well-being is a massive issue. Teaching is often listed as one of the most stressful professions. However, “fixing” staff well-being is not easy and requires focused attention by school leaders, systems, school councils and most importantly staff themselves. Here are 11 actions you can take immediately to start improving your own well-being. Take responsibility…
Overcoming Change Fatigue
Change just seems to be a constant in schools these days. Staff in many schools feel inundated by change and many are suffering change fatigue. Changes in curriculum, increased expectations and accountability measures, new administrative systems, pedagogical approaches and emerging technologies, just to name a few. It is not uncommon for staff in schools to…
See the Forest for the Trees
Successful people work well under sustained pressure. For some, pressure acts like a laser beam – focusing their energy and sharpening their mind to make clear and accurate decisions. For others, pressure acts like a fog that scatters their thinking and impairs their good judgment. The difference in how sharply you operate under pressure, pivots…
Stress and Your Locus of Control
The school year has well and truly kicked off and it’s probably about now that our intentions of taking better care of ourselves and not letting work overwhelm us are flying out the window. But before we throw in the towel and succumb to the ever-increasing pressure of work demands, let’s try reframing how we…
The Secret to a Great Year By Elena Aguilar
If I could, I’d lay money on the claim I’m about to make: If you do the one little thing I’m about to suggest, you will have a great school year. Here it is: At the end of every day, identify three things that went well. That’s part one — what went well? When did…
Developing Empathy
Imagine a culture where all people feel aligned and connected with a clear sense of purpose. There is consequently, a great sense of goodwill, cooperation, productivity and innovation as a result. How can you create such a positive environment in your school or with your family? Start with the simple practice of empathy. Empathy is…