“Life is a matter of choices, and every choice you make makes you.”
— John C. Maxwell
You know that there are competing forces in your school. Whether you work in a preschool, elementary school, middle or high school, there are factors that are outside of your control.
Home life for both you and your students can affect your day-to day. The use of social media can present influences that you might not be conscious of, and that’s not even considering how these influences can affect your students. Gaming and it’s frequency can alter your student’s impression of school. Peer effects start early and continue well throughout school. Of course, illness can play a part either on the short-term and long-term.
These factors can weigh you and your school down. Sometimes they can seem insurmountable. An educator who has equanimity, who is calm in the face of challenge, is the educator who can make a difference for children- no matter their age.
How can you cultivate this equanimity? Find moments in your day.
Don’t rush through lunch- try to actually chew your food. It may seem ridiculous, but actually take a spoonful or forkful at a time and chew.
Have 5 minutes to spare? Go outside and walk- put on your coat if you need it and get some fresh air.
Look around at your space- what is something you could do to make it more functional or look nicer? Working in a space that’s inviting or makes it easier to do your job has a compounding effect.
But what if you feel like you’re too busy? You have reports to write, documents to update, a phone call with a parent, planning or a meeting. It can all seem like these things are pressing and need to be addressed right now.
When this happens, remember to breath and think of the next best choice. Taking action to help yourself doesn’t always mean diving deeper into your work. You can derive a lot more perspective taking a step back.
Chew your food, take a walk, make your space more beautiful, you’ll find it pays you back more than the extra time spent on what seemed pressing. You also might find new insights that you wouldn’t have if you kept at something when it wasn’t immediate and necessary. Take a breath, get some space, and make the next best choice.
