Burnout

Reducing Stress in a Stressful Environment

bvinal Burnout, educator, Growth Mindset, inspiration, inspirational, Relax

Stressful. No, that is not the #OneWord22 that I chose this year, but that certainly describes the state of things right now, doesn’t it?! It seems that just about every conversation, interaction, or even just life, in general, is stressful right now. Have you experienced stress more than usual lately? Work stress. COVID stress. Travel stress. Even grocery shopping stress. Heavy sigh.

Photo by Luis Villasmil on Unsplash

Don’t let the stress take your joy away. Just breathe. Stop for a moment. Take a deep breath through your nose and slowly release it through your mouth. Did you do that just now? If not, I’ll wait. And I’ll breathe deeply, too.

Do you even realize that you are stressed? Or is it only when your shoulders are tight and you have a headache at the end of the day that you acknowledge that you’ve been holding all that stuff in your shoulders and neck? Hopefully, you just moved your shoulders and released some of the stress hiding there.

Am I good at de-stressing? Not all the time. Okay, maybe not even some of the time. I get working and forget to get up and move away from the desk, or table, or wherever I’ve landed to work at the time. I work in multiple different schools and locations, so getting up and doing some kind of gyrating, stress-relieving dance doesn’t really go over too well. Dancing in my vehicle when driving is kind of a problem, as well. Although that doesn’t always stop me!

So what is the solution? That will be different for you than it is for me, but here are a few of my strategies.

Set a basic routine and stick to it. Get up at the same time so that you don’t feel rushed in the morning. Seems simple, but a lot of us keep hitting the snooze button and then have to rush around to get ready. Me included. So I set my alarm 30 minutes earlier and give myself permission to hit the snooze button a few times. Then I set another alarm just in case I shut off the first one. No sense stressing over whether I’m going to sleep through the alarm!

My morning routine consists of doing the same basic things in any order I want to. But coffee always comes first for me. Even if I don’t drink it right then, I make it and go about my business. I use the same two travel mugs for my water. I prep my lunch a few days ahead for grab-and-go food that I don’t have to think about. Clean my glasses. Put in eyedrops. Have a protein-filled breakfast – always.

Am I a creature of habit? Well, I’m much less stressed when my habits are consistent. I put things in the same basic location(s) so I’m not running around stressing over where they are. I try to start my day at the same time when possible.

If this sounds too restrictive for you, that’s okay. Maybe this stresses you out more! Find what consistencies work for you. Try to include some time to step away from your tasks and schedule some time with You. Deep breathe. Stretch. Walk around. Dance. Listen to positive messages in music or online. Take control of what you can and let go of what you can’t.

There are some apps that you can rely on as well. While that isn’t one of my strategies at this time, I’ve used them in the past and with students and teachers alike. Here is a list of 10 calming apps that you might find helpful: https://www.creativeboom.com/resources/10-calming-apps-to-help-you-beat-stress-and-feel-more-relaxed/

No matter what your calming space or time looks like, be mindful of taking that time for yourself. We are all stressed. I’d love to hear your strategies for a calmer life, too. Just comment on this post. Oh, and follow my Mother’s advice “Make sure you drink your water and eat your vegetables”. ~B

Beyond the Edge

bvinal Burnout, Educational Technology, Professional Development

I admit it. I feel as if I am struggling to keep up. After 4 weeks of the start of the school year, I am only now beginning to feel as if I can surface for air. My desk is still a mess, there are laptops that need to be assigned, iPads that need formatting and lots of emails and phone calls to return.

I’m sure I’m not alone in this feeling. Every teacher in a traditional model school feels like this as the new year starts. There are new names of staff and students. There are new challenges with curriculum changes, policy changes, room changes. What worked last year either doesn’t work with this year’s group of students or staff, or it just needs to be freshened up to engage the learner.

So, why is it like this every year? Why does it seem particularly more difficult THIS year?

Age is one reason. The older I get, the less energy I feel I have for change. Demands of those above me affect it too. The new software, new hardware, new curriculum, new initiatives, new email, new… just fill in the blank. Change gets harder every year. So why do I feel the need to change what I’m doing or how I’m doing it? Because I am beginning to realize that no matter how much I do, there will always be more to do.

There. I said it. I’m not keeping up. I have been on the cutting edge of things for the last few years. But now I believe I may have gone beyond the edge. Past that point of wanting to know the latest and greatest. Mostly because the technology changes so fast. Probably because I’m realizing that I want to enjoy things outside of work.

So what do I do?

I reinvent myself again. We all need to do that. We need to realize that what might have been important last year is not quite as important this year. Or that what was important then, but was not addressed, has become most important now. Heavy stuff.

I am not going to do less at my job. I’m just not going to take it home quite so much. I’m going to find those things that I used to do that brought me joy while still doing my job well. I’m going to try to multitask less and focus on what matters more. Simple to say, but not so easy to do.

If you’re struggling as I am, take heart that you’re not alone. There is no one final solution for anyone. We are ever evolving and ever reinventing ourselves. Thankfully.

Let me know how you plan to reinvent yourself this year. And most certainly let me know if you have ideas for how I can reinvent myself to be more productive and stay on the right side of the edge!

Is it Teacher Burnout?

bvinal Burnout, Educational articles , ,

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA
“superwoman” by hans van den berg is licensed under CC BY 2.0

While I like to think that I am superhuman and can go on little sleep, work multiple jobs and manage to tend adequately to my family, that just isn’t so. I TRY to make that so. But in reality, I find myself frazzled and stressed. Yes, I believe it might be Teacher Burnout.

It’s easy to write this during my summer break, even though my calendar reminds me to “Do a Blog Post” every Monday year round. (Thanks, George Couros @gcouros for the challenge!) Writing during the school year when my double full-time job, multiple piano students, and online teaching are in full swing and the reality is definitely different.

Dr. Jenny Rankin’s First Aid for Teacher Burnout: How You Can Find Peace and Success. Taylor & Francis, 2016, provides strategies for dealing with burnout. In her book, Dr. Rankin provides some Teacher Burnout Statistics.

Teacher Burnout Statistics

The statistics listed are not current, but I can’t help but imagine that with the increased demands on teachers and administrators, that those numbers might actually be higher than Dr. Grant has communicated.

Attitude is a huge part of our burnout rate. It is a huge part of our overall health. A perfect example is my 89-year-old father. He has an incredible attitude. He rarely complains about anything, he is helpful and easy to get along with. He does things for others with a smile. But if you read his medical history and what he has “wrong” with him, you’d think he should be shouting at little children in the street and shaking his cane at every passerby! Not only does he treat everyone with respect, but he doesn’t even need a cane to go on his 3 or 4 mile walk every day!

So, how can we strive to keep ourselves sane in the ever burdened education world we live in? I believe starting with a simple, positive goal each day is helpful. The following are a few of my strategies:

  • Take a moment to reflect on why we do what we do, realizing that it’s not about the money or the fame but about lives of humans that we want to nurture and grow into productive citizens. (This includes the teachers you work with, too!)
  • Avoid the “toxic” people in your life. Find a way to remain friends, but avoid those gripe sessions that can be so prevalent especially towards the end of the year.
  • Practice your smile. Greeting people with a smile and a warm “Hello!” sets the tone for the following conversation and might even help someone change their day.

Finding time to indulge yourself, even if for a few moments at work, with something that brightens your day or lets you breathe is imperative. For me, going to bed earlier and using my lunch as a private reflection time help me. Oh, and not taking complaints and criticism personally. It’s easy to fall into that trap!

Breathe deeply. Do things purposefully. Encourage those around you to do the same things. You might be surprised at the results.

Think you might be suffering from burnout? Try taking this self-test: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTCS_08.htm