In his book “The Advantage”, Patrick Lencioni highlights ‘The Adrenaline Bias’. “Many leaders suffer from a chronic case of adrenaline addiction, seemingly hooked on the daily rush of activity and firefighting within their organization” (2012). I believe that many educators suffer this bias.
The feeling of an adrenalin high is addictive as it gives you a ‘rush’. When you are on adrenalin you think quickly, talk quickly, eat quickly and even finish other people’s sentences. You try to be ‘on’ 100% of the time. However, the rush that we get from adrenalin is not sustainable and isn’t helping us. If the entire day is fueled by adrenaline, it can lead to burnout and also makes you less fun to be around. If you have been an adrenaline junkie for some time, you may have lost the ability to relax (Church 2007, page 29).
There are two ways to get a natural high – one from adrenalin, which makes you feel switched on for short bursts; the other from serotonin, which makes you feel calm and comfortable for longer periods. The real natural high comes from an appropriate balance of both adrenaline and serotonin. The first step is becoming aware that you may be an adrenaline junkie.
If you do everything in fast forward you need to slow down and make some space in your life. When you learn to switch onto adrenalin only when you need to, and manage the rush in a healthy, balanced way, you can be naturally high more often, rather than using your ‘drug’ to get through everyday life (Church, 2007, page 29).
Many educators put themselves last. They work long hours tirelessly trying to be all things to all people. Looking after your own wellbeing needs to be a priority.
Early detection is often better than pursuing a cure.
‘Balance’ can be very difficult to achieve. It is more important that we get satisfaction from our work as well as the other aspects of our lives. Instead of aspiring for work-life balance, aim to get work-life satisfaction.
No matter how many hours you work, there is always more that could be done. It is vital to set boundaries to stop work overtaking and having an impact on the other aspects of your life. Which day of the week could you leave school at 3.30 pm and do something for you?
It is vital that you monitor that little voice inside your head and ensure that your expectations of yourself are reasonable. At times educators can be our own harshest critic. At the end of each day you should reflect on what you have achieved and not be too harsh on yourself if there are still tasks on your to-do list. School days can be unpredictable.
Time is one of the most precious resources you have. It is vital that you use it well. Ask yourself often, “Is this the most important thing I could be doing with the time I have available?” A good way to feel that you are gaining traction is to identify at the beginning of each day, one important task that you need to make sure is completed that day, for that day to feel successful.
It is a sad reflection on our society that many public hospitals now display “Zero Tolerance to Abuse” signs clearly communicating that harassment and violence towards staff will not be tolerated.
It is vital that you take some time each school holidays to rest and recharge. A holiday doesn’t have to be extravagant. Even if you only go away for a night or two, the change of scenery and short break are worthwhile. The anticipation of the holiday can be almost as good as the holiday itself.
Exercise has benefits for both our physical and mental health. Establishing an exercise routine is one of the most powerful actions you can take. Often when people get busy and stressed, the first thing they stop doing is exercising. Yet exercising is the best thing they could do for their well-being.
We know eating well is important to looking after our health but we often skip lunch, eat on the run or at our desk. Take at least 15 minutes away from your desk to stop and eat lunch.
We should drink at least 2 litres of water per day. This equates to about 8 glasses of water.
If you are feeling over-whelmed, seek professional support. It is not a sign of weakness but a recognition of the real complexity of the role you play.
Time for some tough love!
Are you hooked on the adrenaline of being ‘busy’ and feeling ‘needed’?
Are your own expectations of yourself realistic?
Is your self-talk positive or are you your harshest critic?
Church, M 2007, High Life 24/7 – Balance Your Body Chemistry and Feel Uplifted, Thought Leaders, Sydney, Australia.
Lencioni, P 2012, The Advantage – Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, United States.
The Federal Government has announced new school infrastructure funding, but should more be done to…
Sexting has become ordinary practice for the majority of teens. Should we be teaching them…
Educators may be surprised at one of the findings of a national research project into…
There is so much to see and do in Sydney, with many educational opportunities available…
Sarah Drysdale from Commbox discusses AI and cyber security innovations in 2024 for the education…
A pilot program co-funded by the QLD and federal governments will aim to ease teacher…
This website uses cookies.