It’s imperative that you make the most of a holiday break away from work so you return to school feeling rested, recharged and ready to take on the new challenges. In part 2 we look at 8 more strategies. 8. Consider investing in a cleaner and/or a gardener – Whilst budgets are tight, you work…
Making the Most of the Holidays – Part 1
As the holidays approach, it’s imperative that you make the most of the time away from work so you return to school feeling like you have actually had a holiday and are ready to take on the challenges of a new term. Rest up – As staff who work in schools, we are constantly on…
Finish Strong
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…
If You Can’t Change It …Don’t worry about it!
The final term of the school year is inevitably busy. As well as the teaching, learning, assessing and reporting on this year, you’ll also have the planning, budgeting and preparing for next year as well. I never cease to be amazed at the staff who appear to be surprised when the demands of final term…
7 Day Attitude Adjustment Challenge
The most important decision we make every day is our attitude. Each day you make a choice – you can be cranky, sarcastic and negative or you can be positive, enthusiastic and full of energy. We can choose to be positive and upbeat or we can choose to be negative and be filled with doom…
Rituals to increase your happiness
Working in schools can be challenging. The uncertainty of COVID has exacerbated this. The following rituals can help to increase your happiness. They are based on the work of UCLA neuroscience researcher Alex Korb. What am I grateful for? This is the most important question to ask yourself when you feel down. According to neuroscientists…
Mindfulness Practices by John Shackleton
Focus on the breath Whether it’s a demanding boss, a difficult relationship or an unexpected bill, life gets to all of us from time to time. Something happens and before we know it, we’re exploding in anger or retreating into a sulk, or worse, turning to food, shopping, alcohol or drugs to help us cope….
5 Simple Ways to Stress Less
Instead of making a list of resolutions that you know you won’t achieve, set yourself the goal of being happy, calm and in control at work every day. Here are five provenpsychological effects that can help, or harm, your stress, productivity and happiness. 1. Confirmation Bias – What You See is What You Get We…
Juggling Work-Life Balance Whilst Teaching Remotely
Achieving work-life balance is difficult at the best of times. However, the unprecedented changes and uncertainty brought about by COVID-19 have made it even more challenging. The rapidly changing environment has been both unsettling and demanding. Staff have had to quickly adopt new approaches, learn new technologies, retrofit lessons to suit the new approach and…
Avoiding DHS (Deferred Happiness Syndrome)
Have you ever said…“I’ll be happy when…….. “…this week is over!” “…I’m on holidays!” “….the kids leave home!” “….the house is paid off!” OR “….I’m on long service leave!” These are examples of deferred happiness syndrome (DHS). Deferring or putting off our own happiness until some later time. We have all heard…