Reflecting on another school term, it is important to re calibrate and reassess the whole life-balance thing. This blog has been sitting in draft form since February 16 2019, it is a sign of how crazy an eleven week term was that I am only posting this now. Educators, policy makers and the media have been discussing teacher burnout for decades and over the last few months in Australia. So what does it take for educators to look after their wellbeing and practice a little self-care?

As some of you already know, in the middle of 2018 I worked myself into the ground and got shingles. Only the other day, I was discussing the concept of wellbeing with my new senior students and I mentioned that I got shingles the previous year. One of them turned to me and said “Miss, don’t old people get shingles?” To my students I am probably old and I often I feel aged, but I replied, “Yes, that’s what I thought!”

According to the Australian Government of Health (2018) shingles (herpes zoster) is caused by the varicella zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. The first time you catch the virus, you get chickenpox. The virus stays in your body and can reactivate later in life. When it reactivates, it is called shingles.

According to Health Direct (2017) about 1 in 3 people will develop shingles at some stage during their lifetime. Often is occurs in people experiencing physical and emotional stress. In their research, Sansone and Sansone (2014) state that stress, stressful life events, and depressive symptoms are identified antecedents to outbreaks of herpes zoster.

I wasn’t suffering from depression, but I think the change of location, new house, new job, new system, new role, new life thing certainly took its toll. Coupled with the surmountable pressure I was putting on myself to fulfil the responsibilities of my new leadership role, it was no wonder I got sick.

I am not here to blame anyone but myself or for you to feel sorry for me. I only hope that educators can learn from my experience and find some strategies to practice self-preservation and build the confidence to look after themselves. Looking back on my career as a teacher and constant reminder from my husband, I don’t do anything in halves. I think I may have developed this trait from my Dad (thanks Dad!). I have put my heart and soul into my profession and calling as a teacher and I couldn’t imagine doing it differently, but self-care and positive wellbeing must be at the forefront of my mind every day.

I should have taken the advice of my very first Assistant Principal and mentor. In a Christmas card one year he wrote to me saying “Kell, don’t let anyone extinguish the fire you have within you”…. or something to that effect! He then went on to say something about not trying to change everything all at once, otherwise I would burn out. I thought I would never forget this advice from when I was so young and so inexperienced, but clearly I did.

So how did I practice self-care? What strategies have I now adopted to enhance my wellbeing as an educator? What advice do I have for teachers to protect themselves? Read my next blog to find out!

Let’s connect, learn and grow together.

References

Australian Government of Health. (2018). Shingles (herpes zoster). Retrieved from
https://beta.health.gov.au/health-topics/shingles-herpes-zoster

Health Direct. (2017). Shingles. Retrieved from
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/shingles

Sansone. R. and Sansone, L. (2014). Herpes Zoster and Postherpetic Neuralgia: An Examination of Psychological Antecedents. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4140624/