I wrote about an educator's need to take care of herself in my own book, There's No Busyness Like School Busyness. A likely analogy for this lies in the passenger airplane as the flight attendant gives instructions for unanticipated decompression in the aircraft:
Oxygen and the air pressure are always being monitored. In the event of a decompression, an oxygen mask will automatically appear in front of you. To start the flow of oxygen, pull the mask towards you. Place it firmly over your nose and mouth, secure the elastic band behind your head, and breathe normally. Although the bag does not inflate, oxygen is flowing to the mask. If you are travelling with a child or someone who requires assistance, secure your mask on first, and then assist the other person. Keep your mask on until a uniformed crew member advises you to remove it.
A caregiver's success at taking care of himself first is more likely to take care of dependents who rely on him for their safety and wellbeing. In my book, I take this analogy a step further in a chapter labeled Lifeguard Training, but for now, the current analogy stands.
In his book, The Writing on the Classroom Wall, Steve Wyborney also takes things another step, telling readers to stay active in the form of exercising creativity.
In his book, The Writing on the Classroom Wall, Steve Wyborney also takes things another step, telling readers to stay active in the form of exercising creativity.
 | The demands of the job are high, and fatigue is often not far away...While I am inspired by the students, I am also inspired to remember that I am creative. It is invigorating to remember that I am allowed to pursue my own growth and to expect much of myself. It is perfectly fine to take risks. In fact, it is essential. I have learned that, as an educator, the quickest route to exhaustion is not taking risks - not pushing the boundaries of personal growth. Doing the same thing the same way again and again is one of the quickest routes to fatigue. The reason is simple: we are energized by new learning. When there are no new experiences, no risks, no adrenaline, no new stories to share, we grow bored and weary - not better. |
Wyborney doesn't want readers to get stuck in a rut. He understands the need to change things up from time to time. Is it odd that Wyborney suggests taking risks as a defense against burnout? Perhaps it sounds odd to suggest doing difficult things as a strategy for combating boredom, but it makes sense to many parents and teachers who have experienced it in their own children.
