From the Head of Senior School
This time 12 months ago, we were all just returning to school with all year groups back on deck after the Covid-19 lockdown. What have we learnt in the past year? How has it changed how we do things? Are we better for the experience? These are all great questions to ponder on and I am deeply mindful that for many nations around the world, their experiences are still far from positive. It’s a great reminder of how grateful we should be.
At that time, many of the messages we were sharing with the girls were about looking after themselves. Our situations were vastly different, with an inability to mix socially, long periods of time spent in isolation, extended blocks of time behind computer screens and little to no face-to-face engagement with friends and family. Here we are one year on, what should we be doing differently?
Many of the conversations I’ve been having with students over the past week have centred around self-care. What exactly is self-care? Are they getting enough? Is it a priority? What does it look like?
What is self-care?
In a general sense, self-care refers to activities undertaken with the intention of enhancing energy, restoring health and reducing stress. There are many ways to do this and self-care is something that can be personalised for every individual. Self-care can also be about processing emotional reactions to life and doing things that we might find difficult, like asking for help. Being mentally healthy and living well is important to every single one of us – regardless of being in Year 7 or Year 12. It’s about enjoying life and fulfilling your potential. It’s having the ability to cope with stresses and sadness, and it’s about being connected to friends, family, community and culture.
Why is self-care important?
Mental health and wellbeing is important to individuals, families, schools, workplaces and communities. There is a role for everyone to play.
Some of the benefits of self-care include:
- Greater capacity to manage stress
- Increased resilience
- Reduced symptoms of mental health problems
Taking time for self-care is not always easy, but doing something small each day, week or month is a good start.
What does it look like?
Physically
- Be active and eat well.
- Get enough sleep and rest.
- Monitor and manage your stress in positive ways.
Relationships
- Nurture and maintain your personal relationships.
- Connect with others to keep strong.
Time for you
- Make time for interests and things you enjoy (outside of school and school work).
- Get involved and join a group with common interests.
- Learn something new to help build you confidence, like new sports or co-curriculars.
Spiritually
- If you have spiritual beliefs, make time for regular spiritual practice.
- Connect with others who share your philosophy.
Term 2 is always a challenging time with assessments and increased workload. Combine that with the change of seasons, shorter days and colder weather, it’s not uncommon for the positive outlook to disappear. Focusing on some self-care will allow girls to ‘breathe’ and gain perspective. Like any skill, self-care is something that requires time and practice.
– Neil Scotney
Head of Senior School