Positively Teach
Gain Social and Emotional control so that you can start to enjoy your profession.
Stress - What is it and how to control it.
We have all experienced stress at some stage in our lives and for various reasons. Humans would rather avoid stress but unfortunately it is required for physical and physiological growth so it can not an should not be avoided altogether.
However, too much stress causes cortisol (stress hormone) levels to rise which results in adverse effects such as anxiety, fuzzy thinking, fatigue and feelings of helplessness (Reachout.com, 2015). To gain control and minimize the impacts of stress, it is important to become familiar with the physiological processes at play and apply coping strategies before stress levels become too high.
In a very brief sense, a human feels stress as a result of an emotional response caused by the amygdala (Sciencedaily.com, 2016). The amygdala is shown to play a key role in processing emotions and is the humans primal control centre, telling the brain to fight or flight during times of stress. This process is vital for survival but during times of constant stress, the amygdala can become overactive having adverse effects on mental health.
Gaining control over an emotional hijacking from the amygdala is a stepping stone in developing mental strength that will allow for career longevity. Of course this will take time, as experienced Teachers will express, but knowing what is happening and why will give beginning Teachers the foundation required to become aware of neurological processes and put strategies in place to control and reduce stress.
Watch this YouTube clip where Dr. Leeno Karumanchery, President and CEO of Diversity Solutions Inc., explores some of the complexities involved in why humans freeze or fail in moments of high stress and why people do and say things in the heat of the moment, that they regret about 20 minutes later. This relates to the Teaching industry in many ways as Teachers must develop emotional intelligence in order to keep their cool during times of stress. Knowing how the amygdala works provides the knowledge required to develop emotional intelligence and cope during stressful situations.
Gaining control over the amygdala is essential in the Teaching profession; the first step is becoming aware of the warning signs and taking action before being hijacked emotionally. Visit HelpGuide.org and discover the many simple, but highly effective, strategies that will help reduce tension, fear and stress. Applying and mastering these strategies are essential in gaining emotional control and will reduce the likelihood of developing burnout.
