Self Care

Provocation: if we prioritise self care as educators we nurture ourselves – thereby nurturing our learners.

Self care is a necessity in our work.

Vicarious Trauma is a reality for many educators. Our knowledge and beliefs about mental health allow us to acknowledge, recognise, manage and prevent mental illness in ourselves.

Throughout a difficult 12 month period our team of educators managed a series of complex situations involving children and families – circumstances which many an educator will go an entire career never encountering. This involved not one but multiple incidents that required a repertoire of skill and tested the resolve of some of the most experienced educators within my team.

As professionals we stay calm within the midst of emotional storms – our own and others. When we are well rested and filled with positivity we weather the storm well. At other times we absorb the negative energy as we take control of our emotions and own fight and flight responses in order to maintain a calm exterior.

When the mind thwarts the flow of emotions because they are too overwhelming or too conflicting, it puts stress on the mind and the body, creating psychological distress and symptoms. Emotional stress, like that from blocked emotions, has not only been linked to mental ills, but also to physical problems like heart disease, intestinal problems, headaches, insomnia and autoimmune disorders.

Most people are ruled by their emotions without any awareness that this is happening. But once you realize the power of emotions, simply acknowledging your own can help greatly.

2018, Hilary Jacobs Handel.

Most people are ruled by their emotions without any awareness that this is happening. But once you realize the impact of our emotions, acknowledging their existence can greatly improve your wellbeing.

The cumulative nature of our work takes it’s toll. We recharge during the holiday period, revitalising ourselves before embarking upon another term or school year.

Our work is at times difficult and challenging. At other times it depletes us of our reserves. As educators we approach this work with expertise and empathy all along maintaining a relentless focus on the learning.

It is therefore necessary to prioritise our mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. There are a myriad of strategies including exercise, mindfulness and placing clear boundaries between work and home.

Our work is steeped in emotion – ideally this would all be positive and well managed. However there are substantially more negative affects than positive ones. The challenge is to effectively manage the negative affects so that they don’t weigh us down.

A playful approach to learning can also extend to our own wellbeing and self care. Playfulness can release positive hormones – endorphins, serotonin and dopamine – which influence our mood. Being too serious can negatively impact our mental health and wellbeing. Whilst our work is serious we can absolutely have fun doing it.

The challenges of our working lives should not have a detrimental effect nor diminish our quality of life.

In order to nourish our wellbeing we need to take time out to recharge. During the summer break I prioritised family time, enjoying everything that summer brings.

This morning my four year old and I delighted in our morning tea (coffee and hot chocolate) in the shade of our gum trees before I returned for my first day at work. I am rejuvenated and ready for the year that comes and this is because I stepped away entirely. I trust my colleagues achieved the same during their break.

The challenge is to maintain this equilibrium as we immerse ourselves in our work and the school year unfolds. By prioritising self care we create space to design and facilitate rich learning experiences for our children.