Joyce Divinyi

September 2003

Education is highly demanding of personal energy. No matter how dependent our educational systems become on technology, the teaching process still requires that teachers be enthusiastic and able to provoke in their students a desire to learn. That takes personal energy. Therefore, your personal energy supply is your #1 teaching tool. Protect and take care of it.

Suggestions:

Get enough sleep. Treat sleep time like the hours you must be at work. Do not let your sleep be traded for work or mindless entertainment or problem solving or worrying. Sleep 7-8 hours every night.

Do aerobic exercises. If you aren’t the “go to the gym” or “get out and run type”, then buy an inexpensive used exercise bicycle. Start your day with 30 minutes on the bike. You can watch the news or a favorite program or just stare out the window. I promise you’ll have more energy at the end of the day.

Do not take things personally. So much personal energy is depleted by hurt feelings. Most of the time that people are rude or mean or curt and obnoxious it is because of what is already going on inside of them---not something wrong with you. Tell yourself you do not have to give up your energy because other people are upset or angry.

Focus on what you can control. Remember there is little in life over which we have real control. Our attitudes and ourselves are about it. Everything else we worry and fret about zaps our energy.

Avoid negative people. Negative people need your energy because theirs is all used up in negativity. If they can hook into yours by getting you to listen and agree or even disagree with them, they feel more energized. You feel more depleted. Politely excuse yourself as soon as you realize you have been caught up in their negative energy.

More On Protecting Your Personal Energy Supply

Joyce Divinyi
October 2003

Beware! Nothing drains personal energy more than allowing yourself to focus frequently or furiously on situations, rules, regulations or mandates that are beyond your control. Today’s educational environment is filled with people who are worn out because they can’t let go of anger and frustration at ridiculous demands or constant pressure to do more with less in less time. 

Solution:

1. Monitor how much time you spend each day being angry or frustrated against policies and procedures you cannot change. (Example, the absurd amount of time devoted to testing)

2. Ask yourself is there anything I can do to change this demand being made on me? If there is, do it! If not, say to yourself each and every time you begin to think this problem or feel mad about it, “I am not giving this my energy right now”

3. Decide on a positive thing in your life, than make yourself think on that for a brief time. Do this immediately after finishing Steps 1 and 3. 

4. Tell yourself “It is my job to protect my energy supply.” “I can control me.” (Hopefully, on a good day.)

5. Practice this daily. It gets easier. Remember it is OK not to be upset by upsetting things. In fact it can feel real good.