by Jolanta Maria Nitoslawska-Romer, M.Ed.
International Director of Academic Affairs, BE+Live
You’re at home, hopefully taking care of yourselves on this short vacation and surely worrying about what will come next. Will schools open, as they say on August 10th? Will they stay open? Is my school planning some sort of blended learning situation? Will I be safe at school? Will there be a risk to my family? Ugh! So many questions and not many answers, I suspect.
There is not much we can all do with so many uncertainties. Perhaps you have already tried some mindfulness, yoga or even meditation exercises. If you are already using BE+Live, then you are familiar with the BE Mindful program, and maybe have done some of the exercises with your students. Perhaps you have even thought, “…and how will that help my student improve their English? “Well, I shall leave that question unanswered for the time being, as I would like to focus on how mindfulness can help you relax and refocus during this vacation so that you are better prepared for what may come.
Much is written about mindfulness and meditation. You have probably come across some ideas and may have even thought that it’s all an exaggeration. A healthy body is something we are more familiar with: eat well and exercise! Yet teacher jobs are often not very conducive to taking care of ourselves. We are more prone to taking care of others: we get up early, don’t have time to exercise, don’t eat well at school, grab a snack whenever we can, and then come home to take care of our families. Does that sound familiar?
So, I would like to challenge you! Yes, challenge you to take 15 minutes for yourselves for the next 14 days. Only for 15 minutes per day in a 14-day challenge! If you can, organize a group of school colleagues or friends to do it with you. Challenges are better met in a group. Set up a WhatsApp group of friends for the BE Mindful 14 Day Challenge. For some of you, what follows may be a repetition: if so, please bear with me. For others, this may be new stuff.
All you need to do is come up with a private, quiet place every day for 15 minutes. A quiet location just for yourself so that you can sit down quietly and Be Mindful. How is that done? Hang on! First, let’s talk about the place, then we’ll move on to the how.
You need a spot in your house where you will be undisturbed for 15 minutes. This might mean getting up earlier than anyone in your home, or after everyone has gone to bed. It may mean closing a door to a room, talking to everyone in your family about giving you this time and placing a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door. In that place, you may have a mat or a cushion, or just a comfortable chair to sit in, whatever works for you. You may place a scented candle or not. You may ready your smartphone with some relaxation or mindful music. Much of that is online for free
Please don’t freak out about mindfulness, Zen, or meditation: this is just about relaxation and time for yourselves. We know that chronic stress can actually alter the brain as the buildup of cortisol can lead to health problems wearing down the brain’s ability to function properly.
“It can disrupt synapse regulation, resulting in the loss of sociability and the avoidance of interactions with others. Stress can kill brain cells and even reduce the size of the brain. Chronic stress has a shrinking effect on the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for memory and learning.” *
But you can mitigate this. Our brains have neuroplasticity, which means that neural pathways can reform in the brain. There are activities or interventions that, regardless of our age, can combat the wear and tear on our brains: socializing, exercising regularly and yes, meditating or just being more aware and attentive during daily activities. Research tells us that when you are more aware of your mental states, activity is increased in the prefrontal cortex area, and you are better able to regulate the emotional center in your brain.
Many studies show that mindfulness can contribute to brain health. So, you may want to try to disconnect from your everyday activities and connect with yourselves for 15 minutes each day. As I mentioned, first, you need a quiet place, and then you need some audio tracks to begin to guide you in this process. Our BE+Live program already has the audio tracks you need, for at all grade levels. You can use any of them to help you become more self-aware, self-knowledgeable, and more emotionally in touch with yourself, i.e., in a state of emotional well-being. If you need them, please do not hesitate to contact us: we would be more than happy to share our BE Mindful resources. Just contact us at contact@beandliveeducation.com
Oh, and by the way, do keep us in the loop regarding the 14-day BE Mindful Challenge. Let us know if you were able to complete it!
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