Self-care for success

For over 30 years, the start of the Autumn term was a time for excitement and anticipation for me. As a Faculty Lead in secondary schools, I would have my new shiny teacher planner all neatly prepared with my new timetable (colour coded no less), my desk would be clear and organised, my pencil case filled to the brim with half of WH Smiths finest, and I would have real and genuine hopes that this year would be the year that I was going to ‘nail it’.

The first week was invariably filled with ‘how was your holiday?’ and ‘it’s good to be back isn’t it?’. Those were always halcyon days of keen students, eager to learn in their neat new uniforms, fully and appropriately equipped with everything they needed to reach the heady heights of success, and relaxed staff walking a slower pace with smiling faces.

Fast forward a few weeks; my desk was like a crime scene, my timetable had invariably changed despite those beautiful colours, I’d had most of my pencil case stolen by others, I’d have spent way too much time arguing the difference between a shoe and a trainer and I was feeling the slow creep of stress. It was inevitable. The brief respite from the onslaught of a busy life at school always caught up with staff, and became relentless, and as the October half-term loomed, I would be burned out.

The wellbeing of staff can decline as the terms go on; each phase having different pressures at different times. In these circumstances it can be easy to get swept along, fire-fighting as we go telling ourselves that ‘it’s just part of the job’. But we need to address this if we are to reverse the trend of alarming teacher attrition. One of the biggest challenges for staff to invest in their own wellbeing is the feeling of guilt, the inability to switch-off and the constant inner monologue of 'I need to do more'.

This is a common feature for many teachers as the statistics from Teacher Tapp demonstrate:

• 30% of teachers have done schoolwork over the summer break

• 48% of SLT and headteachers have actioned emails during summer break

• 61% of primary school teachers have been into school over the school break

The Teacher Tapp data will come as no surprise to anyone who has worked in or for a school and demonstrates that so many can never feel able to switch off and truly restore our batteries. All staff in the education sector would benefit from prioritising self-care. It is a concept alien to many but should be seen as a priority not a guilty pleasure. Putting our wellbeing first does not mean putting pupils second. It means that we are intentionally managing the most critical and impactful resource our pupils have, so that they can reach their potential. If the Ofsted machine had told me that I had to demonstrate where I practiced self-care in my busy week, I’m sure I’d have carved out some time. 

So how can we make sure that we are not just September-ready, but year-ready?

Start the academic year with a mindset of self-care as a priority. Research has shown that our brain needs just 30 seconds of calm to have a real impact on our responses to stress by calming our nervous system. By taking as many short, intentional rests as we can during the working day can have a cumulative and noticeable effect on our stress response. So, try starting each day with a positive affirmation; Still Human’s Managing Director Julie Liddell, starts each day with ‘Today is going to be a good day’, and I start each day with five ‘I am..’ affirmations. Take just a few minutes to enjoy your favourite morning drink in a peaceful place where you can just grab a couple of minutes of quiet. Try developing a morning routine when you get to work; take 60 seconds to sit at your desk with your eyes closed and just take some deep breaths. Throughout the day, try to grab a few minutes at breaktime to connect with a colleague (seeking out those radiators and swerving the drains!). Make sure that you have a nutritious lunch each day and eat it away from your desk (even if it’s just for ten minutes) so that you can ‘rest and digest’, and at the end of the day and try to clear your desk to start afresh the following day. Instead of being despondent as you focus on the never-ending to-do list that still hasn’t been done (and never will be), try writing a ‘ta-da’ list of everything you have achieved during the busy day. By focusing on the things we have achieved, we flood our brain with positive hormones which over time can counteract the stress hormones that can creep in each day. The key is consistency: building in these micro-rests has a tangible effect over time as our amazing brains make positive connections, without us even realising. 

Most importantly, we must remember that each of us is unique and we should find our own strategies for carving out slivers of time for ourselves each day throughout the year, and to keep self-care as a daily, weekly and termly priority so that we can get to the end of the year without being burned out. We all try to treat our students, loved ones and colleagues with compassion and we deserve no less. So, try to make a conscious effort to practice a bit of self-compassion and maybe this year, you’ll ‘nail it’.