Resilience

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 support the mental well-being of students, ALL in a time of personal stress and anxiety. The uncertainty brought about by COVID-19 outbreaks may result in a return to remote learning for periods of time. The following strategies are intended to help you in these uncertain times. Keep Perspective You are not alone. Angela Duckworth, Professor of Psychology and author of “Grit” writes that people’s stress…

Such a great song from the Beatles. In actual fact, we really need love now! As I have been chatting with audiences all around the world sharing my concept of choosing your mindset—or what I call an amplified attitude—I have been sharing six key mindsets each of us needs to have in this environment of uncertainty. Now, it’s not about having all six, it’s about picking one and focusing on it with such intensity that every cell in your body believes it. This mindset coupled with a high level of intensity changes how you turn up every day. It influences how you walk, talk, think, what you say to others and most importantly what you say to yourself. Here are…

In times of uncertainty it is helpful to remain positive and optimistic.   Day 1     Choose a positive mantra and repeat it Day 2     Think about what you can be learning from your current challenges Day 3     For worst case scenarios, imagine the best thing that could happen Day 4     Share a great memory with a friend you haven’t seen this month Day 5     Print an inspiring quote and attach it to your bathroom mirror Day 6     Call someone to say thank you Day 7     Give a genuine compliment to three people Day 8     Cut negativity from your life by unfollowing, deleting and removing negative influences Day 9     Learn something new Day 10   Take some time outdoors Day 11   Meditate…

We certainly live in ‘interesting’ times! The importance of the work done by staff in schools has been highlighted in recent weeks as we deal with the Corona Virus. Whilst it can be unsettling and challenging to face unchartered conditions, it is important that staff in schools remain calm, optimistic and mentally strong. Based on the work of Amy Morin in, “13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do”, I have created a list of the 20 things they actually do. 1 They move on. They don’t waste time feeling sorry for themselves. They quickly come to terms with what has happened and move on to the here and now. 2 They keep control. They don’t give away their power or…

Exercise more, eat better, spend more time with the family, connect more with friends, how much more can we do? I know I’m not alone by sharing that once or twice (okay way more times) in my life I have felt stressed. I’m hiding so no one would find me, yelling at my phone to be quiet and on the brink, wanting to rip up my TO DO list and run to the mountains. Anyone with me? If we stop and think about the events that lead up to these meltdowns, we play a big part in getting ourselves into the situation. We keep saying yes when we want to say no, we sleep in when knowing we need to…

Why do many people turn out as well as they do despite adverse life circumstances? Instead of being crushed by adversity in their personal life, somehow use it as motivation to grow. Why do people at work, instead of becoming negative and resistant to change, simply accept what is out of their control and make the best out of a tough situation? The answer is, I believe, people’s resilience – our ability to bounce back when faced with adversity. Part of the current thinking on resilience is that it is innate – most people are naturally programmed to survive and recover even after major setbacks. It also appears that our resilience is determined by the interaction between Risk Factors that…

Often the affects of stress are compounded by problems of not getting the sleep we require. Our active minds and negative self-talk can keep us awake or wake us during the night. Many people who suffer from insomnia start to sleep poorly for some understandable reason (e.g. a baby kept them awake, accumulation of stresses or a trauma). However the sleep problems often continue after the event as a habit has developed. Dr David Morawetz’s self-help program “Sleep Better…Without Drugs” provides a great 4 to 6 week program for overcoming bad sleep habits. Like all programs, the benefit will only come through discipline in applying the advice given. The following Nine Rules for Better Sleep are offered as a starting…