Under Pressure? How To Manage Your Wellbeing In An Early Years Setting
“I’ve had to completely readjust my thinking”
- by Emma Davis
Managing an early years setting can feel overwhelming. With so much effort going into implementing or responding to new Ofsted regulations and government-initiated policy changes – from revisions to the EYFS Framework, to the 30 hours funding coming this September – and, of course, invested in the children and the families that we care for, our responsibilities can start to impact significantly on our personal time.
How many of us go home at night and ponder on the circumstances of some families? How many hours do we spend catching up on paperwork and researching new ideas? How many times does a family shopping trip end in purchasing resources for the classroom?
Some might say that this is par for the course if you have a managerial role, which I agree with to a certain extent; however, in a climate such as this, when the role becomes more than just a job, it can be easy to neglect ourselves.
We should really highlight the need for managers to take care of their own wellbeing. Throughout my time studying, from Level 3 to Early Years Teacher Status plus a Postgraduate Certificate in Leading Early Years, the subject of emotional wellbeing has never been addressed. This needs to change in order to support and guide the leaders and managers of the future.
A change of mindset
Having been in this position myself, I’ve had to completely readjust my thinking in order to address my own wellbeing. As a perfectionist, I don’t mind admitting that this hasn’t been an easy task. All managers need time to switch off their work brain, which can be a challenge when a huge ‘to do’ list exists.
In recent weeks, I’ve been leaving my work at work, returning to it the following day rather than taking it home to spend hours on during the evening. It’s not always possible to do this, but it’s necessary to have some down time in order to feel refreshed the following day, even if it’s only once a week. Managing a setting is a difficult enough task as it is, let alone when we’re running on empty.
Having some work-free time has allowed me to enjoy doing the things I want to do for pleasure, such as reading, visiting the allotment and having family days out. I’ve become better at organising my work time, prioritising tasks rather than trying to do everything at once. If I haven’t completed something during the day and it’s not urgent, I am now happier with leaving it for the following day.
This adjustment of my focus has meant that I have regained my spark for early years, which I have been lacking in recent months. Being completely work-focused had led to resentment at the amount of personal time it was eating up. A change was needed if I was to stay in early years, and I feel this has now given me renewed energy to face whatever is thrown at us in the future.
It’s good to talk
If you’re a manager struggling to find the perfect work-life balance, please be reassured that you are certainly not alone. The accountability on our shoulders for the little people in our care is immense.
Unless you have managed an early years setting, it’s difficult to appreciate the pressure and responsibility. However, do share your feelings with someone as you might find they understand more than you expect. Sometimes, just vocalising that you’re finding things tough can begin to make life a little easier.
Most importantly, remember what you can accomplish when you’re looking after your own wellbeing – that feeling of being refreshed and happy will impact on the children in your care and the staff around you.
Emma Davis is an Early Years Teacher and setting manager.
