How can Educational Leaders maintain their mental health?

I have worked with some schools where the person in charge of PD or sometimes Physical education is interested in having some type of check-in for educators around the idea of movement for teachers and children built into "brain breaks." Moving a muscle changes a thought and feeling! Anxiety, depression, and burnout can be significantly lessened by having support built into the day where teachers can use tools to get safely "back in their bodies," which nourishes resilience and nervous system health.

Educational leaders can safeguard their mental health by prioritizing self-care. This involves setting boundaries, delegating responsibilities, and fostering a supportive work culture. Regular breaks, adequate sleep, and exercise contribute to resilience. Seeking mentorship or peer support and engaging in professional development reduce isolation. Embracing a positive perspective, acknowledging accomplishments, and learning to navigate challenges with flexibility contribute to sustained mental well-being in the demanding field of education.

One thing I have noticed is my sleep is the first thing to be affected when I am experiencing significant stress and overwhelmed. And of course, when we are sleep deprived it is a slippery slope into other dysfunctional behaviors. It is harder to eat healthy, to get your physical activity in daily and speak kindly to our fellows. When this happens I know I have to double down on my efforts to recalibrate my life and emotions. Sometimes this is difficult when you are still in the midst of the stress but eliminating anything that doesn't need to be done or part of your life right now, so you can focus on only the essentials, get good sleep, feed yourself properly and move your body daily so you can manage those big emotions.

Navigating the educational leadership journey can be both rewarding and mentally challenging. Personally, I prioritize self-care, recognizing that it often takes a back seat amid numerous responsibilities. Trusting and empowering the team, along with fostering connections with peers, are crucial elements in overcoming the isolating nature of this journey. By consistently investing in well-being, you not only improve your personal life but also contribute to a healthier and more positive educational leadership environment. Remember to practice relaxation methods to calm the mind, adding an extra layer of support to your mental health. Here's to a balanced and fulfilling leadership experience.

Plan and schedule the things that help you to restore, whether that is therapy, dinner with friends or physical activity. Block if off and treat it with the same respect as a doctor's appointment. This can help you plan around those events so that you can still effectively meet deadlines while taking care of yourself.

D'un point de vue personnel, je considère que l'application de la PNL (Programmation Neuro-Linguistique) peut être particulièrement bénéfique pour cultiver une santé mentale équilibrée en tant qu'enseignant. En intégrant la PNL dans votre quotidien, vous pourriez commencer par définir des objectifs professionnels et personnels clairs, en utilisant des techniques spécifiques de la PNL pour les rendre plus réalisables et motivants. De plus, la PNL offre des méthodes pour gérer le stress et les émotions négatives, ce qui peut être particulièrement utile dans le contexte exigeant de l'enseignement. Pratiquer la pleine conscience, peut vous aider à rester ancrée dans le moment présent, réduisant ainsi le stress lié aux anticipations.

Self-care is indeed a cornerstone of maintaining good mental and physical health. Far from being selfish, its necessary to practice to ensure we can function at out best. Not only for leaders but for everyone, balancing work with rest, nourishing our bodies, engaging in physical activity, and getting adequate sleep are all critical. Additionally, pursuing hobbies, connecting with loved ones, and seeking professional support are vital for emotional well-being. And it is a lifelong commitment. :)

Set a time that is "self care" time in your schedule, for me this is morning time before the rest of the world is moving. However this could be in the afternoon or later at night depending on your life rhythms. Within that 30-60 minutes (but you could even start with the time block being 5-20 minutes) you do self care, period. That can be a work out, reading a book, walking outside, calling a friend, doesn't matter. Holding and keeping that time sacred along with leaving flexibility for what self care can look like day to day has worked best for me.

El autocuidado permite conocernos, entendernos y estar al servicio de nuestro bienestar. Suena un poco egoísta, pero es no lo es. Cada uno de nosotros es el responsable número uno de cuidarse, no podemos estar a cargo de otros si nosotros no estamos bien. ?Han leído las instrucciones en un avión? En ellas se indica que debemos ponernos el chaleco salvavidas antes de ayudar a otro o salvar a otro. El autocuidado es eso, mantenernos a salvo para poder dar lo mejor de nosotros para el otro.

Ten seconds can change a culture. I've found the best way to do this is to check in with people in the morning just to check in. My leadership team set up a rotating calendar of staff we would check in with at least 1/month and depending on staff some were 1/week. We then intentionally stopped by their workspace in the morning and just generally checked in. Scheduling this blocked it off in our calendars so we wouldn't get sidetracked during that time, it also ensured everyone was seen and connected with. Even if all they get is a smile and a good morning, it was one step in the direction of building culture and modeling what we wanted for our culture.

In my opinion, the best way to maintain good health in academic environment is to be positive and bring positivity. Ultimately, most of our time spent in the University so it can be considered as a family. Happy faces and Happy culture improves productivity but also staff retention.

Keeping consistent check-ins with teammates can help you to keep a pulse on how each teammate is feeling and where they may be struggling so that you can address concerns before they become bigger issues.

Some examples I have seen to enhance organization culture is to create opportunities for the culture to shine. For example, if your organization promotes positive self-worth, create opportunities for people to express or feel their self-worth and value. If your organization promotes joy, make sure to have the organization location be fresh, clean, painted with colors that evoke joy and have physical cues like pictures or music that generate feelings of joy. If you are a school that claims to be child-centered, create meaningful, genuine and real opportunites for children to be the stars.

An authentic, positive and uplifting culture can do wonders. We can do so by rooting out the weeds of school politics and favouritism. There is no place for cliques or politics in school, rather than mirroring the playground, an all round culture of great integrity, compassion and ethics can do wonders. Educational leaders are role models for both the staff and students, and their can do attitude of cultivating a inclusive and respectful culture can really set the tone to uplift all in the school environment. Educational leadership is not for the faint hearted, it is incredibly tough to have the courage to really create a culture of well being, respect, authenticity and integrity, even if one has to put their position on the line.

Podcasts. You can listen to them while you do other things and even listen at them at 1.25x or quicker speed. I love general podcasts (Tim Ferriss, Brene Brown, Ali Abdaal, etc.) have some great guests in the mental health sphere but also consider regularly listening to education leadership specific podcasts to find more specific skills and practices (ASCL, Aspire to Lead, and the Bright Morning Podcast are a few favorites).

Meaningful professional development and a good track of coaching/ mentoring can do wonders. All employees of the organisation whether educational leaders or other staff members are humans at the end of the day. As humans, we are constantly learning so a characteristic trait of reflection can also be incredibly effective alongside continuous professional development. As John Cotton Dana said 'he who dares to teach must never cease to learn'

Gaining professional development not only helps you gain knowledge and skills, but it also enhances confidence. What is a skill you could learn today that will empower you to do your job but also be more confident as an individual?

Leadership is only as lonely as you let it be. As an educational leader, it is important to build up your network as well as your personal Board of Advisors. Speaking and collaborating with fellow principals first help me to normalize many of the challenges I was tackling, making them feel less personal. In addition, your network can give you new ideas, or help to be a sounding board as you think through yours.

Personally connecting with staff, colleagues, or students enhances a feeling of closeness and can provide support to others while receiving support of self. So important!

Connection with others is part of our social engagement system as Dr. Stephen Porges describes in his Polyvagal Theory. While connecting with other people may feel stressful for some, connecting with a pet, nature, music, and movement may be a better starting point in order to support our sense of safety and well-being and then move up the social engagement ladder. So many of us stay stuck in fight/flight and no longer even realize it. It has been found that even beautiful photos and posters of nature scenes can help regulate our nervous system and heart rate. Simple supports like this, when added together 5%-10% improvement from each thing can begin to strongly scaffold our resilience.

Educational leaders can maintain mental health by cultivating a strong support network both within and outside of their professional circle. They should delegate tasks when possible, prioritize tasks based on importance, and practice time management techniques to avoid burnout. Regular exercise, adequate sleep, and a healthy diet contribute to overall well-being. Lastly, engaging in regular reflection and mindfulness practices can help leaders stay grounded and resilient in the face of challenges.

Conectase buscando la buena comunicación, invirtiendo tiempo en las relaciones personales de calidad. Mira a los ojos, pregunta cómo están, qué necesitan y en que les puedes ser de utilidad. Si puedes hacer algo por alguien hazlo.

La flexibilidad y la capacidad de adaptación son de gran valor para afrontar crisis, cambios, desafíos y oportunidades. Para preservar la salud mental es interesante estar atentos a un equilibrio entre adaptarse, comprendiendo el flujo de los acontecimientos, y evitar desdibujarse y ceder a los propios principios y valores. De lo contrario, se puede generar una insatisfacción e incomodidad que origina malestar, no sólo psíquico, también fisico, emocional y social. Preservarse y autocuidarse se relaciona con conocer los propios límites, personales y de la tarea/rol, estableciendo un encuadre claro para poder elaborar los sentimientos de impotencia y la frustracion.

I learnt the wisdom in the saying that "It is the interruptions that are the job"! It means we have to be very clear about what our goals and values are, then we can adapt to the unpredictable events of every day and yet respond to them in a way that is consistent with our vision.

Wellbeing is often underestimated but is an incredibly essential component of any organisation. Individuals that are supported within organisations add so much more value and deliver in higher quality. Wellbeing is a win-win situation for both the organisational culture, leaders and staff, and increasing research shows this. This is also incredibly important in pastoral care and well-being for students as well. Ultimately, it results in higher aspirations and progress both on a human level and academically.

Cuidarnos en primer lugar para cuidar a nuestro equipo es nuestra principal tarea, solo así vamos a lograr obtener cualquier resultado que nos propongamos. Siempre tener en mente que trabajamos con personas, que necesitan estar bien para dar su 100%. Motivar a cada uno, destacando sus cualidades y dándoles los recursos de mejorar sus debilidades, crea un ambiente de trabajo feliz, y a mayor felicidad, mayor motivación. A mayor motivación, mejores resultados.