Dr. Helen Kelly shares her journey from workplace safety lawyer to international school principal, and how her personal experience with burnout led to her current work researching educator wellbeing. She offers evidence-based insights about preventing burnout and creating school cultures that support teacher and leader wellbeing.

• Understanding burnout as a continuum that everyone moves along, with engagement at one end and burnout at the other
• Emotional workload and lack of community connection are stronger contributors to burnout than quantitative workload
• Teacher wellbeing directly impacts student outcomes including academic performance, sense of belonging, and non-cognitive skills
• Recovery from burnout requires regular practice of four experiences: psychological detachment, relaxation, control, and mastery
• Post-pandemic challenges include increased student mental health issues and decreased time for staff community building
• Thoughtful school calendaring that anticipates pressure points and prioritizes connection is essential for wellbeing
• Simple interventions like shared meals during professional development days can transform school culture

Start the day with non-work thoughts. The first thing we do in the morning should not be reaching for our phones to check work emails. Delaying work thoughts through activities like stretching, having tea outside, or singing in the shower can positively impact cortisol levels and prepare us to cope better throughout the day.

This episode is sponsored by Plan Z Education.

Buy The Minimalist Teacher book from ASCD+ISTE.

Follow on Instagram @PlanZEducation and @minimalist_ed_podcast.

The Minimalist Educator Podcast is a Plan Z Education Services adventure.

Episode 078: The Hidden Crisis in Education with Dr. Helen Kelly