There are many factors that can affect our well-being and motivation levels in a school environment, from pressures and demands of the workload to large periods of change at work. A YouGov survey in 2018 found that 75% of teachers reported symptoms of stress, compared with 62% of the overall general working population. This has become increasingly problematic in recent years, where 40% of newly qualified teachers (NQTs) in London have quit the profession within just five years and, whilst the government have rolled out projects to better understand the well-being provision for pupils and how policies can help to support this, there is little in terms of consistent provision for academic and support staff.
The good news is that well-being and mindfulness can be adopted and practiced just about anywhere in your everyday life, whether you’re based in an office or a classroom. We’ve put together some of our key tips for bringing mindfulness into your daily routine to help reduce your stress levels, improve your well-being and boost your concentration levels.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the practice of being conscious of what is happening in the moment and observing it objectively. Over time, your mind will learn to battle the distractions of past and future worries to help alleviate stress and anxiety and maintain a rational outlook.
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Positive intervention
Sometimes when we feel overwhelmed with work or stressed at the prospect of upcoming inspections or deadlines, it can be hard to take a step back and look at the positive things surrounding us.
A simple exercise you can do at any time in the day is to write down three things positive that have happened or that you are grateful for. These don’t need to be overthought, but just help to give you perspective and bring you back to look at the bigger picture.
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Pay attention to your body
When you have a moment of quiet, take notice of your breathing – don’t try to adjust it or breathe deeper, the aim of mindfulness is to simply be aware. Pay attention to different parts of your body by scanning down and noticing where you may be carrying tension, such as around your shoulders or neck.
We don’t always notice the tension we carry when we’re feeling stressed or realise the connection to the muscle stiffness or aches we sometimes experience during these times. Try to adjust your sitting or breathing and concentrate on the areas – a good tip to release shoulder tension is to sit with your legs at shoulder width and place your hands comfortably toward your knees. Whilst breathing in deeply, move your hands towards your hips so that you feel your shoulders opening up. This can help us to be more mindful of our posture and help to reduce feelings of stress going forward.
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Quiet your thinking
Feeling stressed, worried or overwhelmed can hamper your ability to think rationally or clearly. Try giving your brain a task to focus on such as counting your breaths. Counting after every inhale and exhale. It sounds simple but you will be surprised at how quickly your thoughts become distracted – for every time you lose count or mind wanders, start again.
Having something to focus on helps to quiet your thinking for those moments where it can feel like there is too much going on.
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