Month: September 2020

Burn Out … Educators Take Care of Yourself

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Just for Today I will take the necessary actions so that I don’t burn out during Covid 19. I will take breaks and put things on pause when I need to.

I think we all need this reminder today, but especially educators and all who work in schools. This is a very draining time for many. It will mean making a conscious effort to not overdo things. I know easier said than done.

Prioritizing your well being is essential. I know too many don’t really understand the work educators do, or how hard you are working to make this all work right now, but you do. There has never been a more important time where you need to prioritize your well being .These ten ideas are a few things you can do to take care of yourself during this time.

  1. Show yourself a little love. Get up a little earlier than the rest of your family and take 15 minutes just for you. A half hour even better. Make yourself a cup of tea and do nothing , just be by yourself and enjoy the quiet time.
  2. Get to work a little earlier, buy yourself some flowers to put on your desk even if working virtually, and take time to smell the flowers throughout the day.
  3. Take a lunch break , unless you are dealing with an emergency. Get outside, take a short walk and recharge. Exercise as much as possible each day at a time that works for you.
  4. Take a break from social media and the news. I avoid the news as much as possible these days. Get someone to tell you the highlights if you really need the news.
  5. Collaborate as much as possible with a colleague to lighten your load.
  6. Ask yourself what you can take off your plate.
  7. Recognize you are still coping with the effects of Covid 19 yourself and YOU do not have to do everything. Use positive self talk throughout the day. Say, I can get through today only and make it the best day possible.
  8. Let go of the need to be all , do all.
  9. Celebrate the things you are doing to make this world a better place. You show up for kids daily so that their lives can be better, acknowledge that.
  10. Go home early. You don’t need to live at school. You have a life , live it . Spend time with those you love and focus on how you can have a great life during this pandemic without burning out.

Don’t burn yourself out, take care of yourself today and every day. It’s the best gift that you can give yourself and your students.

If you have a tip for educators to help during this time please share in the comments.

Taking Time

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All photos by @sspellmancann

How often do we take time to notice all the beauty that surrounds us? I take the same walk many times throughout my week, but each day I see something new. Change isn’t always easy, but if we look at change as seeing things from a different perspective, then maybe we will embrace it even more. Although the thought of change can be scary, it can also be exhilarating. So just for today I will take time to embrace change.

Focus On The Good

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Photo by Andre Furtado on Pexels.com

It’s so easy during this time to focus on all the bad, however I choose not to. I skip by all the negative news. Oh yes, I do peek at it every now and then, but I don’t stay focussed on it.

If we look for the good we are bound to find it. I love when I hear good news of a wedding or a new baby or that someone’s operation turned out better than they thought. Often times I focus on the small things that I am grateful for. I can walk, see, hear, love, develop friendships, read, dance, sing, and breathe without much effort. There are so many things I can do that others are not able to and I do not take that for granted.

I can focus on the good in every young person I encounter. They have so much potential so much good left to be discovered.

Don’t get me wrong I am no pollyanna, I do sometimes get stuck on the negative, but I never live there long as I know how unhelpful it is. So just for today I chose to focus on the good.

Growing Up By The Sea

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It gets harder and harder to leave a place I love, leaving behind so many friends and family for yet another year. Being near the water brings me such a sense of peace, except when there is an expected hurricane of course, but that doesn’t happen very often.

I loved growing up near the sea. I love being near, listening to the sounds of the water and just looking out and observing the ever changing Mira River. I am connected to the beauty and the people here and each year I need to let go and go west. The coming and the going like the flow of the ocean, is what I am meant to do.

As I head back west I look forward to that chapter as my family and friends there too. I am connected deeply to both places. Fortunately for me I had the joy of growing up near the sea and can keep coming back.

Maintaining connections with great friends although I moved so far away so long ago, has allowed me to feel like I belong.

Growing up near the sea will always be a part of me.

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So Hard To Say Farewell to Nova Scotia

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photo by Tanya Spellman

This is how I feel when in Nova Scotia. I have had a phenomenal summer here spending time with friends and family. Because there are no present cases of Covid and so few since I arrived in July, it has given me the kind of freedom that I am super grateful for. I have followed all the regulations and not done as much as I normally would do in the summer, but oh how happy have I been. I need to bottle this feeling up and take it with me when I leave. It will be harder than ever to say farewell to Nova Scotia.

Wishing You …

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Photo by Skitterphoto on Pexels.com

As I prepare for tomorrow with the thought that there may be a little power failure in the next couple of days, I am preparing a couple of mini posts. I will scheduling them as I do not want to miss a day of posting no matter how small the post. I have committed to post everyday this year, so I will schedule posts for the next three days just in case. Wishing you all a little brightness in your days ahead.

Calm Before The Storm

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Photo by Pits Riccardo on Pexels.com

There is definitely a calm before the storm here in Cape Breton as we await Hurricane Teddy although it will most likely mean high winds and little damage more of a tropical storm, not a hurricane. I remember Hurricane Dorion last year and i have never heard such eerie sounds as the winds blew over our cottage. We certainly lost power ,a little restless night but no damage. It sure made me empathetic to those that have been through a damaging hurricane and the worry it brings as you are never really sure how it will impact you.

Mother nature is so interesting as the calm sometimes comes before the storm as it has done today. It is a reminder to me that I need to remain calm no matter what the storm brings. Worrying about what might happen won’t change what does. Being prepared as best possible is the smart thing to do.

I feel a little less concerned than I did last year as it is expected to be mostly heavy rain and intense winds this year. I do have my storm chips and as Frankie Macdonald says , Be Prepared and I am.

Making Memories in Public Gardens

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When in Halifax a visit to the public gardens is a must. It was always one of my favourite places and my mom’s too, so I took her there today. We strolled along at a much slower pace, but got to enjoy the beauty that surrounded us.

Spending Quality Time With Mom

My mom is a trooper given all of her physical challenges, I am so grateful to have this time to spend with her as soon enough I will be thousands of miles away for another year..