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STAFF WELLBEING GUIDELINE for a full school year

BASED ON

SANCTA MARIA COLLEGE

The Good New Habits Book

BY IAN VICKERS

The art of looking after one’s self or caring about your own well-being is a jigsaw of learnt habits. Teaching is an extremely demanding profession and it is vital that you take some time for ‘you’ during each working day. To help you develop these new habits, this booklet contains a weekly activity to support you. There is no particular order to the strategies and hints in this booklet but hopefully you may embrace a few on a permanent basis. They can become new habits!

Take around 15 minutes at the start of the year to introduce the concept and allow useful triggers to be identifed by each staff member. This program for enhancing staff wellbeing then benefits from about 5 minutes per week spent introducing the following week’s focus. The responsibility for leading this can be shared amongst all staff members or by willing volunteers who will enthuse others. It is then up to individuals to decide to what extent they will engage in the possible activities.

ADAPTATION BY ROS PRETLOVE (pretloveros@)

Based on 4 X 10 week terms – slides may need to be re-numbered and/or re-ordered if your state/territory has different length terms.

Triggers

To learn a new positive habit you need to remember to adopt this new activity on a regular basis. We all need reminders, so seeing or hearing a particular stimulus may become the trigger to remind you to rehydrate and have a drink of water.

You need to think about a few triggers that will remind you to regularly practise a new approach!!

Examples of triggers: Having a special screensaver on your computer could be a trigger. A song, a photograph on your desk or wall, a treasured item that you frequently see, could be a trigger. It could be the smell from a fragrant tissue or from a room air freshener. If could be another external noise such as a distant motorbike or a school bell. In essence, pick a few things that will constantly remind you to remember to follow a new activity.

“Remember to Remember ”

Term 1 Weeks 1 and 2

|SELF REFLECTION |

|Reflect on the following and identify those areas to which you need to pay more attention |

|in order to have a more balanced life, both professionally and personally. |

| Physical Self-Care Tick ( |

|1 |Eat regularly | |

|2 |Eat healthily and in moderation | |

|3 |Daily exercise | |

|4 |Drink plenty of water | |

|5 |Take time off when sick | |

|6 |Get medical care when needed or have an annual ‘roadworthy’ check | |

|7 |Find ways to relax: eg. massages, exercise, hobby | |

|8 |Do physical activity that is fun | |

|9 |Get enough sleep | |

|10 |Take care of personal grooming – treat yourself | |

|11 |Take regular holidays | |

|12 |Take day trips or mini-holidays | |

|13 |Take time away from your mobile phone, other electronic gadgets and social media access | |

|14 |Take time out for fun and laughter with family and friends | |

Term 1 Weeks 1 and 2 (cont.)

| Psychological Self-Care Tick ( |

|15 |Make time for self-reflection | |

|16 |Sometimes just listen to others | |

|17 |Write in a journal | |

|18 |Read literature that is unrelated to your work | |

|19 |Do something at which you are not expert or in charge | |

|20 |Decrease stress in your life | |

|21 |Notice your inner experiences – listen to your thoughts judgements, beliefs, attitudes and feelings | |

|22 |Let others know different aspects of you | |

|23 |Engage your intelligence in a new area | |

|24 |Practise receiving from others | |

|25 |Be curious | |

|26 |Say no to extra responsibilities sometimes | |

Term 1 Weeks 1 and 2 (cont.)

| Emotional Self-Care Tick ( |

|27 |Spend time with others whose company you enjoy | |

|28 |Stay in contact with important people in your life | |

|29 |Give yourself affirmations, praise yourself | |

|30 |Love yourself | |

|31 |Re-read favourite books | |

|32 |Identify comforting activities, objects, people, relationships, places and seek them out | |

|33 |Allow yourself to cry | |

|34 |Find things that make you laugh | |

|35 |Express your outrage in social action, letters, donations, protests | |

|36 |Have quality time with family, including with children | |

|37 |Do fun relaxing activities | |

Term 1 Weeks 1 and 2 (cont.)

| Spiritual Self-Care Tick ( |

|38 |Make time for reflection | |

|39 |Spend time with nature | |

|40 |Find a spiritual connection or community | |

|41 |Be open to inspiration | |

|42 |Cherish your optimism and hope | |

|43 |Be aware of non-material aspects of your life | |

|44 |Try at times not to be in charge or the expert | |

|45 |Be open to not knowing | |

|46 |Identify what is meaningful to you and notice its place in your life | |

|47 |Meditate - Pray – Sing | |

|48 |Access your “inner child”, have fun | |

|49 |Have experiences of awe | |

|50 |Contribute to causes in which you believe | |

|51 |Read inspirational literature | |

Term 1 Weeks 1 and 2 (cont.)

| Workplace or Professional Self-Care Tick ( |

|52 |Take breaks during the work-day (eg. lunch, tea-break, a walk outside) | |

|53 |Take time to chat to co-workers | |

|54 |Make quiet time to complete tasks | |

|55 |Identify projects or tasks that are exciting and rewarding | |

|56 |Set limits with clients and colleagues | |

|57 |Balance your work so that no one day or part of a day is “too much” | |

|58 |Arrange your work space so it is comfortable and comforting | |

|59 |Get regular feedback | |

|60 |Negotiate for your needs | |

|61 |Have a peer support group | |

|62 |If overwhelmed talk to a colleague, or perhaps a counsellor | |

| Balance Tick ( |

|63 |Strive for balance within your work-life and workday | |

|64 |Strive for balance among work, family, relationships, play and rest | |

Another resource is the online teacher stress test, offered by the Teacher Support Network How stressed

are you? The test can be accessed at

Self Reflection survey adopted from: Saakvitne, KA & Pearlman, LA. (1996). Transforming the Pain: A Workbook on Vicarious Traumatization. New York: WW Norton Co; Peter Huggard 2006; Botany Downs Secondary College self-care booklet 2013.

Term 1 Week 3

Drink Water Week

• Bring a water bottle to work and refill from the water tap/fountain in the staffroom.

• Take the bottle to class with you.

• Strive to drink at least 2 litres of water a day.

• Cut down on tea and coffee consumption this week.

“The real risk is doing nothing.” - Denis Waitley

Term 1 Week 4

Identify Four Triggers

• Please strive to figure out four key triggers that will help you to remember to do something important for yourself.

• See the introductory notes on ideas about possible triggers.

• The triggers need to be obvious ones for you during your working day.

• Write down your list of at least four triggers.

• Find ways to “Remember to Remember”

Term 1 Week 5

Stop For Five Minutes Each Day

• This week’s activity is particularly tricky. The modern day school is a very pressurised and frantic place, so asking someone to stop can be quite daunting.

• Find a quiet place where you can take a few moments for yourself. Use one of your triggers to remind you to stop and take a few moments for you.

• Relax your shoulders, neck and jaw. Close your eyes.

• Still the body and try to calm the mind.

• Breathe slowly and deeply.

Can’t spare 5 minutes? Check out Bill Jennings’ 2 minute clip about a meditative practice known as ‘The Pause’. Try this technique.

Term 1 Week 6

Exhale Slowly

• Remember, exhalation promotes relaxation. Most people inhale more than they exhale and therein lies a problem.

• Place green dots in strategic places – on your desk, laptop, cubby hole, mobile phone to remind you to stop and breathe out slowly

• Breathe out, focussing on the exhaling.

• Stop, drop, flop – Stop and slowly exhale watching your diaphragm / chest, drop your shoulders, upper chest and finally flop to relax all over. Share this activity with your class.

• Do this hourly – stop, drop and flop! ( courtesy of Dr Jim Bartley –‘Breathing Matters’)

“1. Inhale to the count of five, 2. Very slowly exhale, 3. Hold to the count of five and 4. Repeat exercise ” (Elizabeth Holloway, physiotherapist)

Term 1 Week 7

Health Focus Week

• Bring in fresh fruit for morning tea and lunch.

• Cut down on the caffeine and high energy drinks.

• Rehydrate with water, aiming to drink at least 2 litres a day.

• Do not work more than 50 hours this week!

• Leave early and take a long walk one evening.

“I do believe it is possible to create, even without ever writing a word or painting a picture, by simply moulding one’s inner life. And that too is a deed.” - Etty Hillesum

Term 1 Week 8

Brain Gym And Stretching

• This week have some fun with your students in class by introducing some simple exercises to sharpen up the brain and relieve some body tension.

• Resources will be made available this week to explain different stretches that you can do in the classroom whilst seated at your desk.

• You will be introduced to: The Elephant, Belly Breathing, The Owl, Balance Buttons and The Energy Yawn (see the last 3 slides for easy instructions to these Brain Gym exercises).

• Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of these exercises as they have a proven record of being beneficial. If done consistently they can have a tremendous impact on well-being.

Term 1 Week 9

Avoid Using E-mail Week

• Only send an e-mail if it is vitally important.

• Make an effort to walk around the school to see a colleague and have a discussion instead.

• Talk to a few students during your duty slot and ask them what the highlight of their term has been.

• Write a note to say thanks to a colleague for a good deed.

“If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living.” - Gail Sheehy

Term 1 Week 10

Plan Of Action Before The Holidays

• Carefully plan and prioritise your days between now and the end of term.

• The holiday is for you to relax, rest and enjoy and re-charge your battery for next term.

• Work smarter and possibly put in the odd longer day at school so that you have all your marking completed by the end of term.

• Do not plan to use your holiday for marking or for completing huge schemes of work.

• Your students want you fresh and dynamic next term, not grouchy and fatigued!

“It is the mind that makes the body.” - Sojourner Truth

Term 2 Week 1

Term 1 Reflection

• Spend some time this week reflecting on your work/life balance of last term.

• Try to identify a few key areas that you can work on this term.

• It is useful to write your thoughts down; What went well? What needs further tweaking?

• Reflect on the weekly challenges from last term and whether you have started to embed one of these approaches into your daily/weekly routines. Are you starting to form a new positive well-being habit?

“There is more to life than increasing its speed.” - Mohandas K. Gandhi

Term 2 Week 2

Health Check

• When was your last check-up or ‘service’? Your car probably receives a maintenance check every 6 months but is it time for you to receive one? Research suggests men in particular would benefit from more regular medical check-ups.

• Visit your GP to check your blood pressure, heart, hearing and eyesight. Have a weight and diet discussion.

• Blood tests for cholesterol and blood sugar levels are useful indicators.

• As we age gracefully other regular checks become available. For guys over 40, regular prostate checks (there is a blood test option) are recommended. For ladies of all ages, be vigilant about pap smears and breast self-examinations. Free breast screeening every two years is available from 50 years of age.

“We have lived not in proportion to the number of years we have spent on the earth, but in proportion as we have enjoyed”

– Henry Thoreau

Term 2 Week 3

Laughter Week

• There is now a lot of research that highlights the positive benefits of laughter.

• Organise an activity this week that makes you smile and brings joy into your life.

• For example, surprise a colleague with a thoughtful gesture, watch some humorous clips on Youtube throughout the week, arrange an after school departmental trip to somewhere fun – eg. mini golf or bowling.

• Find an amusing story that will supplement a teaching topic and make the class laugh.

• Organise a ‘Joke of the day’ segment, a ‘Joke Telling’ session or competition.

“Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.”

- William Jennings Bryan

Term 2 Week 4

Revisit Your Triggers

• Are you remembering to remember to check in with yourself each day?

• Are your four triggers working from Term 1 or do you need to find a couple of better ones?

• For example, other triggers could be hearing a person sneeze, a particular colleague that you bump into periodically or the bell ringing at the start of recess and lunch.

• Each day this week, write down three things for which you are grateful.

“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set I go into the other room and read a book.”

- Groucho Marx

Term 2 Week 5

Power of Reflection

• Take a few moments each day to reflect upon life and how you are feeling.

• Take time for quiet reflection at staff briefing. Set a positive goal for the day.

• Share something each day for which you are grateful - with your colleagues and your family.

• It could be an acknowledgement of gratitude for all the wonderful people and things in your life.

• Share an unexpected reflection with your class or with colleagues at a committee meeting you attend.

Term 2 Week 6

Sharpen the Saw

• This would be an appropriate time to review your work habits, both at school and at home.

• Can I work smarter ?

• Do I take home a bag of marking and paperwork and then return with most of it untouched the following morning?

• Are you a morning or later in the day person? Review whether you could arrive earlier or stay later at school but with the trade-off of not taking work home?

• Record how many hours you spend this week on school related work. Is it over 50 hours?

“I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.” - Louisa May Alcott

Term 2 Week 7

Fight Procrastination

• Make a start this week on that one task that you have been avoiding and putting off.

• Set yourself a short time frame say 30 – 45 minutes and focus on that document or admin task that you keep avoiding. Just making a start will be uplifting!

• Figure out how you can put yourself in the ‘zone’ to do some inspiring work.

• How good will you feel when this particular task is all done and dusted?

“The beginning is the most important part of any work.” - Plato

Term 2 Week 8

Sleep Well

• Go to bed at a regular time, turn off electronic gadgets and use relaxation techniques such as focussed breathing, meditation, visualisation or massage.

• Early evening, clear your head space of worries by writing them down and organise your things for tomorrow.

• Don’t eat too late; avoid caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime, as they are stimulants and can encourage the brain to become more active through the night.

• The use of aromatherapy oils, relaxing background music and a well ventilated room are extremely beneficial for some people to help aid long periods of sleep.

“It is health which is wealth and not pieces of gold and silver” – Mahatma Gandhi

Term 2 Week 9

Leave Early Once This Week

• Plan to leave early mid-week and take advantage of some precious daylight.

• It may be for a family activity, an early evening dinner, a walk in your favourite park, a good movie or a relaxing swim. Share your plan with one colleague so they can encourage and remind you to carry through with your goal.

• Treat yourself to some pampering with a massage/hot spa/sauna/favorite meal/something special.

• Work smarter on your chosen day and leave your work behind.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Good personal well-being, then, is not an act, but a habit.” - Aristotle

Term 2 Week 10

Think

• If you plan your week carefully and work efficiently, can you leave on Friday for the holidays on top of all your various jobs?

• At the end of a traditionally tough term both students and staff are often weary and some can be just a bit prickly. If a situation troubles you, ‘think’ carefully before you act.

• A moan and groan at a student may be unfair and an over-reaction that we regret a day later. Think.

• A short and terse e-mail or comment to a colleague may be counterproductive. Sleep on it and maybe tomorrow you might approach your concerns differently. Think.

• If you are feeling wound up like a spring, then ‘Stop for 5 minutes’ – see Term 1 Week 5 or ‘Exhale Slowly’ – see Term 1 Week 6

• An act of kindness to help an ‘under pressure’ colleague could be well received.

Term 3 Week 1

Term 2 Reflection

• Spend some time this week reflecting of your work/life balance of last term.

• Try to identify a key area that still needs attention. Talk to colleagues about their approaches to work/life balance.

• Again it is useful to write your thoughts down – What went well? What still needs further tweaking?

• Reflect on the weekly challenges from last term and whether you have started to embed some of these approaches into your daily/weekly routines. Are you starting to form a new positive habit or habits?

Term 3 Week 2

Cramming and Cutting = Burnout

• Cramming is trying to fit more and more into the same limited time using the same limited energy and stamina. Work faster, sprint through your day without pausing for breath - eventually you will visit the ‘Mountain of Too Much’!!

• Cutting is excluding family, friends, hobbies, social activities, sleep time and eating times to make room for new demands. Finally, there comes a time when there is nothing left to cut and still too much to do. At this point your health – mental and physical - suffers big time!!

• Solution: Just stop. Spend some time in every day just doing ‘nothing’ for the purpose of becoming more fully awake and remembering who you are.

• Recommended reading – “Stopping – how to be still when you have to keep going” by Dr David Kundtz.

“No matter how fast we go, no matter how many comforts we forgo…..there never seems to be enough time” – Jay Walljasper

Term 3 Week 3

Time Audit And Priorities

• Plan your week in detail and identify what is important and which are your priority tasks. Stick to your plan for 5 days.

• Avoid distractions and procrastination. Low level non-urgent tasks can be worked on later.

• Responding to every e-mail and request immediately is probably not a good use of your time.

• Learn to say “No”. In a tactful way, can you defer some requests till a later date?

• Record how much time you spend each day on school work and look at the total for the week. Any observations?

Term 3 Week 4

Increase Your Heart Beat

• Find time for some form of exercise at least 3 times this week, in or out of school time.

• With some colleagues, utilise a fitness centre, organise a walking group around the boundary of the school.

• Staff v Students T ball, netball, indoor soccer challenges at lunchtime.

• Early morning swim before school.

• Drink at least 2 litres of water a day and feel alive!

“A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to care for his tools.” – Spanish proverb

Term 3 Week 5

Tidy your work space

• Spend some time tidying your desk and teaching area. Working in a messy and cluttered environment can be stressful.

• Ask your students to tidy up their desks/storage spaces and shelves.

• Put in a request to fix those broken fittings, desks and chairs.

• Brighten up your space with new displays and a splash of colour. Having a clean up will bring a sense of organised tidiness to your work area. It can be an uplifting experience.

• Arrange those ‘to do’ jobs in various priority trays or electronic folders.

Term 3 Week 6

Time Management

• Don’t feel guilty about taking breaks, leaving school early or having a night off school work.

• Learn to be realistic about what you can take on. Plan your school day and do the important and top priority jobs first.

• Switch off your e-mail notification of new messages so that you do not get sidetracked from your task at hand. Shut down your mobile phone for a while. Beware of procrastination!

• Learn to say “No” when that is honestly what you want to say.

• Beware of time wasters - they can take your time, mood and joy.

• Strive for the time balance each day so that your family, partner and yourself all receive some time.

A Spanish footballer playing in the English Premier League was recently asked - what was the one English

expression that had been the hardest to learn and understand? He replied, “Procrastination is the thief of time!”

Term 3 Week 7

Random Acts Of Kindness

• Surprise a colleague with a special treat which will give them a boost.

• Teach something a bit more unusual in one of your classes to lift the spirits of your students.

• Bring in your favourite tea or coffee blend and make an extra cup for a friend.

• Suggest a night off school work and organise a social gathering.

“Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the

final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.” - Anne Frank

Term 3 Week 8

Water And Healthy Eating Week

• Working flat out ? So much to do and not enough time to even consider looking after yourself ? Wrong!! This is the time when you must stop for food and drink breaks. Your body needs to refuel.

• Bring your water bottle and strive for 2 litres a day. Go easy on the caffeine and energy drinks.

• Plan your lunches this week so that you have a strong emphasis on fruit and vegetables.

• Make it to the staffroom for a relaxing lunch break at least twice in the week.

PS - Catch up on sleep to recharge your immune system and keep the winter bugs at bay.

Term 3 Week 9

Exercise In The Classroom

• This week you will be introduced to some more short exercises that you can use with your classes. All are designed to help sharpen up the brain in preparation for learning.

• A resource will be made available for use.

• Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of these exercises as they have a proven record of being beneficial. If done consistently they can have a tremendous impact on well-being.

• You will be introduced to: The Cross Crawl, Lazy 8s, Arm Activation, Hook Ups, Thinking Caps and Positive Points (see the last 3 slides for easy instructions to these)

“You can never really live anyone else's life, not even your child's. The influence you exert

is through your own life, and what you've become yourself’’ - Eleanor Roosevelt.

Term 3 Week 10

Make A List

• With the end of term in sight, establish a list of the priority tasks that will need to be completed before you enjoy your holidays.

• Organise realistic time periods for each task – long / medium / short

• Try to be efficient with your time but also build in time for food and drink breaks and appreciate that you are not superhuman and that this has already been a long and busy term.

• Be aware of overloading yourself. “There is no heroism in this kind of martyrdom”

– Rosemary Holmes, author of ‘Teacher Wellbeing’

“I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.” - William Ernest Henley

Term 4 Week 1

Term 3 Reflection

• Re-visit the self reflection survey from Term 1 Weeks 1 and 2 and see how you fare or visit the Stress Test and see if a specific issue is highlighted.

• Spend some time this week reflecting of your work/life balance of last term. Have you adopted some new approaches or positive habits into your daily/weekly routines?

• Talk to colleagues about their approaches to work/life balance - have they made improvements this year?

“In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die.

And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility” - Eleanor Roosevelt

Term 4 Week 2

Stop For Five Minutes Each Day

• This week’s activity is a repeat activity. It requires you to try and shut down for at least five minutes during each day at school. Keep still, enjoy some silence and try to think as little as possible.

• Find a quiet place where you can take a few moments for yourself.

• Relax your shoulders, neck and jaw. Close your eyes.

• Still the body and try to calm the mind. Saying the word ‘Tranquillity’ in your mind helps some people. Breathe slowly and deeply.

Term 4 Week 3

Paper, Paper, Everywhere!

• Plan your week in detail and identify what is important and which are your priority tasks.

• Now have a look at the remaining weeks of this year. It is an extremely busy time so making a list of what you have to complete and the necessary timelines would be beneficial.

• Avoid distractions and procrastination so that you are efficient with your marking, formative assessments, report writing and 2014/5 course program writing/planning.

• Can you delegate any specific tasks to other colleagues or share the load?

• Allocate specific time to do these tasks. A little bit often is a less stressful approach.

“You can do anything but not everything.” - David Allen

Term 4 Week 4

Take Time

• Take time to: Celebrate the success of your teaching and the role you have played as our students head to the end of their year’s work. Share one success story with others.

• Take time to: Breathe – inhale slowly, exhale slowly.

• Take time to: De-clutter your work space.

• Take time to: Praise a colleague for a job well done.

• Take time to: Exercise, recover, relax and catch up on some valuable sleep.

Term 4 Week 5

Positive Health Week

• Bring in fresh fruit for morning tea and lunch.

• Cut down on the caffeine and high energy drinks.

• Rehydrate with water, aiming to drink at least 2 litres a day.

• Do not work more than 50 hours this week!

• Leave early and take a long walk one evening.

• Have a night off school work in the middle of the week.

“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan but also believe.” - Anatole France

Term 4 Week 6

Laughter Week

• The positive benefits of laughter are now well documented.

• Organise an activity this week that makes you smile and brings joy into your life.

• For example, surprise a colleague with a thoughtful gesture, watch some humorous clips on Youtube throughout the week, organise a departmental BBQ, Masterchef challenge, have a staff happy hour with a trivial pursuit quiz.

• Find an amusing story that will supplement a teaching topic and make the class laugh.

“Remembering ourselves and our power can lead to revolution, but it requires more than recalling a few facts. Re-Membering involves

putting ourselves back together, recovering our identity and integrity, reclaiming the wholeness of our lives.” - Parker Palmer

Term 4 Week 7

Reflection Time On Your Year

• Write down two areas of your well-being that you believe that you have improved upon this year and that have pleased you.

• Write down two areas that you have made a start on improving but are still a work in progress.

• Are you able to identify areas that are still a major concern for you and that need some serious attention?

• Re-visit the Self Reflection Survey or Stress Test through the Teacher Support Network website

Term 4 Week 8

Enjoy Your Lunch Break

• In a busy day it is important to have a quality break at lunchtime.

• Strive to have at least two lunchtimes this week in the staffroom.

• Make yourself a lovely tasty lunch that you can enjoy and take time out to relax.

• During this time, resist the temptation to discuss work and instead find out something new about some of your close colleagues.

“The greatest discovery of my generation is that you change your circumstances

by changing your attitudes of mind.” - William James

Term 4 Weeks 9/10

Remember To Remember

• Utilise and adapt your triggers throughout the summer break so that you are reminded to check in with yourself and see how you are going: seeing or hearing an aircraft, hearing the sound of a motorbike, someone sneezing, a particular song on the radio or jingle on the television. You will probably need about 4 or 5 triggers that you will come across in everyday life.

• Find time for you. Escape for a while and do things just for you.

• Re-visit this booklet and pick out your preferred strategies to assist your search for the perfect well-being equilibrium in your life.

• Marvel at summertime delights and have a most enjoyable, relaxing and restful holiday!

Originally written by Ian G. Vickers, Assistant Principal, Sancta Maria College, Flat Bush, Auckland, New Zealand. i.vickers@sanctamaria.school.nz

Adapted (with permission) for Australian schools by Ros Pretlove, Great Western, Victoria, Australia. pretloveros@

BRAIN GYM ACTIVITIES

Suggested length of each movement is about 30 seconds unless otherwise noted. Please perform all movements recommended with care and to the degree that feels comfortable. If any movement feels awkward or strenuous, simply stop.

The Elephant

1. Stand with feet hip distance apart.

2. You will be making the infinity symbol with one arm at a time. Rest your left hand on your hip. Bring the right arm straight up and touching the side of your head.

3. Your straightened arm and head stay "attached" at the ear as you bring your arm in front and in the middle, perpendicular to your torso. Look at your middle finger and imagine a line extending straight out from its tip.

4. Make a large infinity symbol with the extended hand, moving first up and to the left in a wide arc, down around to your center, then up to the right and around back to center. Move using your whole torso. With a soft focus notice the object furthest in the distance that your middle finger points to as it moves slowly and steadily through the infinity symbol. Do three infinity symbols with one arm before switching arms and repeating the entire exercise three more times.

This exercise is designed to improve attention, recognition, perception, discrimination, and memory. Make sure to keep a relaxed neck and to focus the eyes gently throughout the exercise, allowing them to notice objects and easily move onto the next.

Belly Breathing

1. Stand or sit comfortably.

2. Place your hands gently on your belly, right around your navel.

3. Take a long deep breath into your belly. Imagine your belly filling up bottom first, all the way up to the top. You can imagine a pitcher being filled up with water.

4. Exhale for a count of eight. Imagine all of the air slowly being expelled.

5. Repeat steps 2 through 4, two more times or as desired.

This exercise improves expressive communication and attention span. Greater breathing and therefore greater oxygen flow increase energy level.

The Owl

1. Stand or sit comfortably.

2. Bring one hand up to the opposite shoulder; grab and hold a sturdy pinch around the trapezius muscle between the neck and shoulder. Your thumb should be on one side of the muscle and the other fingers clasping around the other side. Make sure you have a sturdy grip but do not hurt yourself; it should feel good.

3. Turn your head to the same side as your hand is gripping and take a deep breath.

4. Slowly exhale for a count of eight seconds as you bring the head gently down and around to the other side. Imagine the chin drawing a smiley face as it slowly makes its way around your clavicle and back up over your shoulder. This should feel like a nice release of tension.

5. Bring your head back to the starting position with your face towards the gripping hand. Take a breath in and repeat the head turn as you slowly breathe out. Repeat this movement one more time.

6. Face directly in front of you. Take a deep breath and exhale slowly as you bring your chin down straight in front of you as far as is comfortable. Repeat two more times.

7. Repeat Steps 2 through 6 with the other hand on the opposite shoulder.

This exercise releases tension and lengthens the neck to shoulder area. Range of motion is increased. Greater blood circulation to the brain improves focus, attention, and memory. This exercise is EXCELLENT if you work often on a computer.

Balance Buttons

1. Stand with feet hip distance apart.

2. Place the right hand gently over the belly.

3. Place the middle and pointer fingers of the left hand on the bone right behind the ear - your temporal bone.

4. Bend your right knee and lift the foot off of the ground. Breathe evenly as you balance on your left leg for a count of eight. If it helps, look at one stationary object while balancing.

5. Then balance on your right leg for a count of eight.

6. While still balancing on the right leg, switch your hands and balance for a count of eight.

7. Change your balance to the left leg and hold for a count of eight.

Balance Buttons can improve your overall sense of wellbeing, create a more receptive attitude, and improve reflexes.

Energy Yawn

1. Stand, sit, or lay down face up.

2. Place the middle and pointer fingers of both the left and right hands on the left and right jaw muscles respectively. To find the jaw muscles you can first find the corner bone of the jaw that joins together, then move your fingers in a bit while pressing gently. When you feel tight muscle you know you're in the right place.

3. Rub your jaw muscles with just enough pressure to feel a massage while opening your jaw in a wide, long yawning motion. You may even feel yourself yawning as you do this; it's a natural response. Close the jaw gently after the long yawn.

4. Repeat Step 3 two more times or until the movement feels complete.

The Energy Yawn can be used to relax the jaw and enhance creative expression visually and verbally by increasing circulation to the brain. This movement also improves balance.

Cross Crawl

1. Stand with feet hip distance apart.

2. Think of your body as a big 'X' - bring your hands up and out if you'd like.

3. Slowly bring one arm down and across while the opposite leg comes up to meet it. Twist the torso to get the most contact between the arm and opposite leg. Stay comfortable so as to not over-stretch but be as engaged as possible. You can think of the dance "The Twist" if that helps.

4. Change arm and leg. Remember to go slow because specific neurotransmitters are released, and integrated left and right brain hemisphere learning is better enabled. The slow contralateral movement activates speech and language centers in the brain. Coordination and balance are improved, and over time this slow movement may become easier and easier.

Lazy 8s

1. Sit at a table with a blank piece of paper directly in front of you. Position the paper so it is wide and parallel to you.

2. Place the tip of a pen or pencil right in the centre of the paper - It should also be right in the centre-line of your body.

3. Draw with the pen or pencil first up and to the left. Circle down and around, coming to the middle again before going up and to the right. Circle down and around to the middle and repeat/re-trace the drawing beginning up and to the left. Repeat this at least three times, always starting up and to the left. Follow the pen or pencil tip with your eyes the whole time. End the drawing in the centre where you started. Your drawing should look like an Infinity symbol.

Infinity 8s help the eyes move together and for the left and right hemispheres of the brain to integrate. This movement is relaxing and also a great way to keep the eyes muscles exercised. Do Infinity 8s without eyeglasses.

Arm Activation

1. Stand or sit in a chair where your arms can hang all the way down your sides. Notice how your shoulders and arms feel.

2. Bring the right arm straight up along the side of your head.

3. Bring the left arm up and wrap the fingers around the straight arm.

4. Lift the straight right arm’s shoulder just to give a little stretch and gently, yet firmly, press the arm against the four fingers to the right for a count of eight. Relax.

5. Repeat Step 4 two more times for the right arm. Bring your arms down to your side and notice if one shoulder and arm feel different from the other. Your right arm of course may feel more relaxed.

6. Repeat Step 4 three more times with the left arm extended. Bring arms down and notice how the shoulders and arms feel - any different than when you began?

This exercise is excellent to do before and while you have a computer or writing project because it enhances the ability to express ideas. Improves focus, concentration, breathing, and a relaxed attitude.

Hook-Ups

1. Stand, sit, or lay down.

2. Cross one ankle over the other.

3. Cross the same arm over as the leg that is over the other. Open your hands and clap the palms together. Join the fingers together and bring the hands under and up to the chest.

4. Place your tongue on the roof of the mouth.

5. Wait to feel a "shift" in emotions or thinking. Hook-ups connect the electrical circuits all over the body. Better ability to focus, organize, and relax through release of tension. Breathe deeply. You may also feel more tension come up and move through and out of your nervous system as you do this. Hook-ups can be done anytime, anywhere to bring emotions back into balance.

6. To finish un-hook the arms and legs. Place your legs hip distance apart. Bring hands to belly level and put fingers that correlate together. Keep your tongue on the roof of the mouth. Stand for about 8 seconds to ground, or integrate, the body-mind shift.

Thinking Cap

1. Stand or sit comfortably.

2. Starting at the top of the ears, gently grab both ears between the thumb and pointer fingers. With just enough pressure to feel good, let the thumb slide up and out off of the ear before grabbing the next piece of ear directly below what was pulled. Slide the thumb off of the ear all the way down to the last part of the lobe, giving the whole outer ear a nice massage.

3. Repeat Step 2, two more times or until it feels complete.

Thinking Cap helps improve breathing, energy, focusing attention, hearing, peripheral vision, and equilibrium. The jaw, tongue, and facial muscles relax.

Positive Points

1. Stand or sit down.

2. Cross the hands in front of you and hook thumbs together.

3. Place all fingertips except thumbs horizontally along the forehead, halfway between the eyebrows and hairline. Just rest the fingertips gently. Eyes can be open or closed as long as they are relaxed.

4. For additional effectiveness, do hook-ups by crossing the ankles and placing the tongue on the rood of the mouth.

5. Hold position until emotional stress is released. These points are related to the stomach neurovascular system. Stomachaches due to abdominal tension can be released using Positive Points. Blood flow is increased to the hypothalamus for greater hormonal regulation. Blood flow to the frontal lobes is increased for better, more relaxed, clear thinking.

 

Brain Gym is a registered trademark of Brain Gym® International/Educational Kinesiology Foundation, Ventura, CA.

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