Written by Mandy McFarland | CEO, Educate Plus | 22 September 2023
CEO BLOG // Looking After Yourself
As we wrap up a busy third quarter of the year and head into Mental Health Month in October, we are all aware of what an important topic this is both in our work environment and in our personal lives as colleagues, friends and family also grapple with how to take care of themselves in a purposeful and balanced way.
I attended various sessions on wellbeing at the SA/NT Chapter Summit last week. (The Summit was absolutely fabulous, by the way!) Madhavi Nawana Parker from Positive Minds Australia spoke on the topic of Your Personal Wellbeing Toolkit – how to ignite joy in the chaos. Madhavi is the author of several books aimed at educators, children and adults and these are a few of her tips that most resonated with me:
- Establish a self-care routine that suits your lifestyle. Set aside time for self-care so you can recharge and reduce stress
- Make healthy lifestyle choices, most importantly, ensure you get enough sleep (I just have to find that magic kill switch in the middle of the night when my brain won’t deactivate from work. Tip: The Quiet Mind tea by T2 really helps me!)
- Social connections can boost your mood and provide valuable perspectives on life. We spend our lives helping others so we should be able to lean on others when we need to
- Set boundaries and learn to say “no” when you need to
- Practice gratitude and take time to reflect on the positive aspects of your life. We all have so many things to be grateful for
- Unplug and disconnect from the constant connectivity
… and my favourite
- Embrace imperfection (not an easy task for an A-type personality, Capricorn like me!) Self-compassion is a crucial aspect of maintaining good mental health.
Finding balance and looking after your mental health is an ongoing journey. It requires self-awareness, self-compassion and the willingness to make changes in your life to put yourself first. I hope you are able to find some down time in the next few weeks for a little reflection to look after you.
Go well
Mandy McFarland
CEO | Educate Plus
