Effectiveness

At times our own behaviours do not contribute to a positive school culture and working environment. Replacing behaviours that are adding to the problem with behaviours that are more conducive to a productive atmosphere is a powerful way that we can make a difference in our school. Here are some examples. Less Whinging….More Problem Solving Whinging and complaining can become a habit in schools. Some people are quick to see (and more than happy to highlight) the things that are problematic in the school environment. Whether that is unacceptable student behaviour, a perceived lack of resources, an unreliable wifi network, poor internal communication or lackluster leadership, they are keen and eager to provide commentary to anyone who will listen. However,…

Last week, in Part 1 we looked at the factors contributing to sleeplessness. You don’t need to have young children or a sleep disorder to have a restless night’s sleep. Most people have difficulty sleeping, particularly when stress is involved. According to the Sleep Health Foundation, one in three people have mild insomnia. If you’re lying awake at 3 am wondering how on earth you’ll get back to sleep, here are some tips for you. Practical solutions to break the sleepless cycle In pre-industrial times, people would go to sleep and wake with the sun. Today, we can spend half the moonlit hours awake, enjoying some downtime in front of TV, on computers or other devices. LCDs are like artificial sunlight that confuse…

Does this sound familiar? Worries and negative thoughts enter your head at night and become magnified. You check the time. 2.59am. You tell yourself ‘Go back to sleep’. Your neck, back and shoulders ache and you can’t get comfortable. The stress builds! Pretty soon the mind starts racing and worries from your day merge with anxiety about not being able to sleep. ‘How will I cope tomorrow if I can’t sleep?’  You check the time again. 3.33am! The cycle continues. A lack of sleep can alter your mood, motivation, alertness and ability to make decisions, which often leads to more stress and anxiety, then more broken sleep – and so on, in a seemingly endless cycle. The reason stress keeps…

It seems wherever I go, I find people who are, what I call, ‘crazy-busy’ at work: Teachers and other staff who are on the go from the moment they arrive at school, who often miss out on meal and toilet breaks, and who work late, preparing for the next day. If you can relate to this, you will know how physically and emotionally draining, very high workloads can be. Many of us scrape through to our holidays, where we fall into a heap, before recovering for the next round. Apart from the costs to our health, well-being and team relationships, there is also the cost to our loved ones, who deal with us when we are tired, grumpy, and impatient.…