Teacher Wellbeing

Support the podcast today via Pozible: https://www.pozible.com/project/teacher-wellbeing-podcast-season-6
Other podcasts I've been featured on recently:

• The Reflective Teacher Podcast
• The Youth Mentor Podcast
• Ideas into Reality Podcast
• What She Did Next Podcast (coming soon)

Links mentioned in this episode:

• This article and this article about the Satir Change Model
• Fatigue Resilience Masterclasses 3 on STRESS
• Fatigue Resilience Masterclass 4 on SLEEP
• Replays of Fatigue Resilience Masterclasses 1 and 2 can be purchased through the Pozible campaign

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Last week our Prime Minister recorded a message for teachers and I think it's fair to say it had a mixed reception.
Today I have a message for teachers that I hope will resonate. I have been hearing from a lot of you in comment sections, in PMs and DMs, and in coaching sessions over the last month and I’m seeing some themes arising that I want to speak to.
Some of you began Term 2 last week, some begin tomorrow, some have another week or so to go.
In any case, you don’t need me to tell you that Term 2 this year is going to be unlike any term ever before...
There are A LOT of mixed emotions flying around, and anxiety in particular is contagious.
I ask you to be careful and gentle of your hearts and minds, and your social media use.
Be mindful of where, with whom and in what digital forums you share and engage with your own and each others' anxieties at this time.
In many ways this is a delicate time in terms of teacher status and public perception of the profession. As much as we hope people behave respectfully about teachers, we need to also continue to be professional too.
It's not about 'fake it til you make it' or spreading toxic positivity that dismisses the very real troubles going on right now.
It’s about being caring, compassionate, mindful and measured with ourselves and with each other as a form of self-care and community care at this time.
Teachers, I know you are feeling the pressure and many of you will be tempted to throw yourselves into this term in the same way you have every term before: pushing through, soldiering on and ignoring your own needs for the sake of getting the to-do list done.
My plea to you this term is that you NOT do that.
Maslow’s Hierarchy comes before Bloom’s Taxonomy for children, and for adults too.
Don't let your basic human needs become depleted because you are going to need as many of your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual reserves as possible this term. Keep them topped up!
Even though the pressure and workload is great, don’t let self-care become an afterthought.
There’s so much uncertainty and some conflicting advice and yes, there are some disappointing messages coming from various parts of the community.
Teachers, let’s not focus there.
Let’s keep our eyes and ears and hands and hearts on what matters most, on looking after ourselves and each other, and then doing the best job you can in extraordinary circumstances.
I know you can do it and are already doing it.
I see you.
I believe in you.
I am so proud of you.
Remember you are a person first and a teacher second and you are worthy of your own care. May you be a beacon of inspiration for your colleagues and encourage others to do the same, now more than ever.
x
P.S. If you do need extra support with your wellbeing right now, please do reach out. I have a range of on-demand resources--including the Teacher Wellbeing podcast!--plus one-on-one coaching options. Find out more at selfcareforteachers.com.au

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Hi everyone and welcome to this bonus episode of the Teacher Wellbeing podcast. Today I’m talking about teaching in the time of covid-19.
So I am recording this not with my regular mic and it’s just raw, imperfect, in-edited and un-produced, because I want to get it into your earbuds as soon as possible.
This is being recorded at a very particular moment in history. It’s lunchtime, Monday 23rd March 2020 and I’m in Queensland Australia. The Covid-19 pandemic has devastated or is in the process of devastating many countries around the world, including China, Italy, France, Spain, the US and the UK. Here in Australia we have now got more than 1200 cases, are being directed to practice social distancing, various states and territories are closing their borders domestically, and there is a petition of doctors raising concerns that we are heading for the same fate as Italy if something doesn’t change dramatically in our response, and yet schools remain open. Last night our Prime Minister held a press conference where he announced sweeping new social distancing measures by closing pubs, clubs, gyms, churches and other public gathering places, but emphasised that schools will remain open. Victoria, ACT and NSW however have split from this in various ways, either announcing school closures this week or at the moment NSW is saying schools stay open but they are urging parents to keep kids at home. Here in Queensland, the Queensland Teachers Union held an emergency meeting this morning and released a newsflash a couple of hours ago demanding that Queensland state schools be closed to students from Wednesday. Whether that happens, remains to be seen. Of course I’m well aware that this all may change, by tonight even, but at the time of recording, that’s the situation as it stands.
Links mentioned:

• My post that went a bit viral on Facebook
• Sign up to the Advocate, weekly love note in your email inbox
• Fatigue Resilience Masterclass 1
• Coaching Options

Coming soon:

• Season 6 of the podcast!
• New Freebies Library
• Resilient Teacher Group Coaching program

My tips for coping with anxiety during this are:
1. Don't panic.
2. If you're feeling very anxious, practice lots of self-compassion.
3. Follow the specific workplace advice for your school and workplace - it's different everywhere.
4. Check the advice that your union is giving too. They do seem to have finally caught up and are issuing advice relevant to your state or territory, so check that, it’s important.
5. Stay home if you're sick! Do not under any circumstances 'soldier on'. The schoolwork will wait, I promise.
6. If you have underlying medical conditions that already compromise your immune system, do speak with your doctor about how you specifically should prepare for and respond to the virus. If possible get a doctor’s certificate stating your need to not be at work and be social distancing right now.
7. Employ self-care strategies for anxiety that work for you. Suggestions include:
8. Meditation
9. Exercise
10. Journalling
11. Talk to a trusted friend/vulnerability buddy
12. Fact Check your thoughts. Is it true?
13. If your anxiety isn't manageable with self-care strategies, speak to a professional. Beyond Blue has a list: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/national-help-lines-and-websites
Also Lifeline on 13 11 14
Also your relevant Employee Assistant Line: https://teachersthriving.com/employee-assistance-programs-eap-teachers-australia/
14. Be mindful of how and when you consume news media. It's important to be informed, but that doesn't mean being plugged in 24/7.
15. Be extremely mindful of how you consume social media, and avoid it altogether if it is an anxiety trigger for you. I highly recommend you read 'Digital Minimalism' by Cal Newport for more on this.
16. Wash your hands, eat good food, get good sleep.
17. Look out for each other. Even if you're not feeling too worried about this, others are. Don't belittle them, support them. Send them this podcast episode and help them put these strategies into practice.
Remember to pick your battles and bide your time and stay focused on keeping your own personal resources topped up during this time so you can continue to rise to the challenges that are being presented to you.
You are doing an amazing job, dear teachers, in extremely challenging circumstances. I see you. I am proud of you.
As always remember that you are a PERSON first and a TEACHER second, and you are WORTHY of your own care. x

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The Teacher Wellbeing podcast turned 3 last week! And to celebrate I released a bonus episode of the podcast this week, detailing 4 things I’ve learned from 3 years of hosting the show! I also talk about the things I’ve learned about myself and running Self-Care for Teachers in the process. Plus, I share an amazing story about some action a teacher took after listening to the podcast last year that I think you’re really going to want to hear.
Exciting things coming soon:

• Crowdfunding Campaign for Season 6 - make sure you're subscribed to find out about that when it happens.
• Fatigue Resilience Masterclass on 28th March 2020

Other links mentioned in this episode:

• Follow Self-Care for Teachers on Facebook here
• Sign up for the Freebies Library here or the SC4T Advocate here
• Book a Discovery Call here
• List of Employee Assistant Programs here

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to the teacher wellbeing podcast, and welcome to 2020!
The new school year is about to begin and I know that means many of you are in the midst of inservice, professional development, student free days and setting up your classrooms.
We're still between seasons of the podcast but in this bonus episode, I am sharing with you the audio from a Facebook live video I did last week. If you’re not following me on social media and you’re not subscribed to my Self-Care for Teachers newsletter, The Advocate, then you might have missed the free video workshop series I did on Facebook last week.
I’m sharing the audio from the first of those workshops here and now on the podcast because I think it’s crucial information for all teachers to have in their heads and in their hearts as the school year begins.
Catch the Replays of the 5 workshops before they expire here: https://www.facebook.com/1055664167826942/posts/2848161048577236/

Sign up for the Freebies Library here: www.selfcareforteachers.com.au/library
Grab yourself a copy of the 2020 Self-Care Planner and Healthy Habits Tracker on my Teachers Pay Teachers store here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/2020-Self-Care-Planner-and-Healthy-Habits-Tracker-4294793
Enrol in the Resilient Teacher Program here: selfcareforteachers.com.au/resilientteacher
As always, remember you’re a person first and a teacher second and you are WORTHY of your own care.
May you continue to look after yourself wholeheartedly this year, be a beacon of inspiration for others and an example to encourage your colleagues to do the same.

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Recently on the Teachers Thriving Lounge Facebook Group, Trudy from TeachersThriving.com and I spent a good 45 minutes discussing the very important but under-researched topic of teacher sleep, and some strategies you can use to help you get a good night's rest.
As Trudy says, "Sleep is the sleeper topic for educators. No-one really is talking about it but it is a big issue."
So we know it's a huge problem, but what can you do about it?
Well, the bad news is that there are no overnight solutions (pun very much intended!), but the good news is there is a lot you can do to reclaim your sleep and take control of your rest.
All you need is your phone or computer and you can leave me a voicemail. You can ask me a question, make a comment about any past episodes, or suggest a topic for a future episode.
However, what I'd really love is for you to answer the question below for a special project I'm working on for Season 6 of the podcast. In 3 minutes or less, answer the following question:
Thinking back on your first year of teaching, what did you learn about staying healthy and cultivating wellbeing as a person and as a teacher?Put another way, what advice would you give your first-year teacher self about staying healthy and cultivating wellbeing as a teacher?
There are a few more instructions on the website which I recommend reading before you do so. I'd love for you to share your lessons and wisdom with listeners of the Teacher Wellbeing Podcast!
Leave me a voicemail here: https://www.selfcareforteachers.com.au/voicemail/

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This is a replay of a Facebook Livestream I did today, which I wanted to share with you because I know some of you are only following me on the podcast, and may not get updates otherwise. The audio quality isn't amazing, but it's good enough and the episode will self-destruct in about a week so listen now while you can!
I have half updated my website with my new programs, but the tech is causing me some little issues and I don't want to break the whole website (again ha!) so I will finish updating gradually over the week.
In the meantime I wanted to come here and tell you about my three new coaching packages (plus the one old one that has been given a new name!)
- Happy Habits Accountability Coaching (same as before!)
- Nourish and Nurture Life and Wellbeing Coaching
- Teacher in Transition Coaching
- Teacher-preneur Online Business Consulting
I will honour the old prices for anyone who books a Discovery Call today (as in, you make the booking today, for a time that suits you in the coming months) and then goes on to book coaching within the next 3 months.
That means you will get the new packages at the old prices!
Booking link for Discovery Call:
https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=13197589&appointmentType=5675726
In case you don’t know, a Discovery Call is a free video conference call where we get to know each other, talk about your life and wellbeing goals, and see if we might be a good fit for coaching.
I usually do these calls via a free program called Zoom (a bit like Skype, only better!) and it’s a great time for you to ask any questions you may have about coaching, see if now is the right time and if I’m the best person for the job.
I'm going to be changing my free Discovery Call process later in the year too, so now's a good time to nab one of these sessions if coaching has been something you have been thinking about.

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First up, this episode will self-destruct in about 7 days, so you wanna listen right now while it's available in your player. I have a couple of time-sensitive updates and then a special invitation for you.

1. Teacher Self-Care September. If you're not already playing at home, join in at Facebook or Instagram and see the overview post here
2. Supporting resources for the #teacherselfcareseptemberchallenge can be found in the Freebies Library
3. Sign up for the Cultivating Extraordinary Wellbeing Webinar this Wednesday 18th September at 6pm AEST. Remember you must be signed up to get the replay as it won't be added to the freebies library afterwards. Sign up here.
4. Leave me a voicemail for a Super Special Season Six project I'm working on! Leave me a voicemail here!

As always remember you're a person first and a teacher second and you are SO worthy of your own care x

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Lessons from 4 years of Self-Care for Teachers, and my vision for the future (Season 5 finale) is an adaptation and update of of this blog post. Find all the links mentioned there. See you next season!

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In this episode I have a brilliant conversation with fellow teacher wellbeing enthusiast, Jessica Terlick from Lead and Inspire Community. Jessica shares her story with us and it’s one I think you’ll relate to. She tells us about her experiences as a preservice and early career teacher and how she fell into the trap that so many of us fall into, which is living and breathing the job and letting work take over life as well. It’s obvious she’s done a lot of self-reflection and can see how some of her patterns were contributing to that. Jessica shares with us in this episode how being so driven to achieve and succeed, while on the surface is a great trait, ended up undermining her health and wellbeing as a person because Jessica the teacher became the sole focus.
We also discuss how her partner Ben helped her find more work-life balance, and what led her to creating the Lead and Inspire Community. Jessica also shares some brilliant tips to help you thrive in the classroom and in life.
You can find Jessica at https://www.leadandinspire.com.au/or follow her on Facebook and Instagram @leadandinspirecommunity
Links mentioned in this episode:

• Teacher Wellbeing Podcast S01 E03 Teacher Story: Rebekah
• Teacher Wellbeing Podcast S04 E10 The thinking traps that are sabotaging your wellbeing
• The Freebies Library full of free useful resources for you
• Lessons from 4 years running Self-Care for Teachers blog post

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