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Seven key steps toward taking the helm of your own ship
I’M SURE YOU KNOW THE movie Dead Poets Society, right? You’ve probably even seen it a few times—we’re in the education sector, after all. Remember that moment in the movie when the students stand defiantly atop their desks belting out, “Oh captain, my captain!” to show pride and support for their inspiring teacher? Just imagine how incredibly powerful it must feel for a teacher to experience a moment like that.
My hope for you is that you are able to show that level of pride and support for yourself—whether or not you choose to broadcast it from atop a desk—and generate that feeling of power from within. But how can you support yourself to this degree? How do you get on track toward becoming your own personal captain? By making thoughtful choices to improve and maintain your personal wellness.
7 STEPS toward self-captaincy
Strike a balance
Striking the right balance between work, family and personal demands is a continual work in progress. Some days might be chock full of work, while others are more filled with family time. Just remember that setting clear expectations for yourself and others in your personal and professional relationships can go a long way toward supporting the balance you need. Each week might feel a bit different, but by setting boundaries where you can, you ensure that the scales don’t tip too far to either side.
Open up
Try developing open communication channels wherever you can—from peers and supervisors to family and friends. Practice this by simply being transparent with others, which shows you’re being genuine and confident.
Build resilience
Resilience helps you deal confidently with situations that might otherwise feel overwhelming, and a key contributing factor in cultivating resilience is psychological capital—a person’s positive psychological state. This includes elements like self-efficacy, optimism and hope. Whether you’re trying to finish off a large project or navigate a tricky workplace relationship, focus on the positives and celebrate your successes with others. This will increase your psychological capital, and most likely that of your colleagues too.
Find your focus
Plenty of evidence suggests that work can enhance well-being, and contribute to mental and physical health, improved relationships and more satisfying home lives. By focusing on what is fulfilling about your work, you’ll feel healthier, more present and more engaged, which ultimately helps you be more effective.
Be a leader
We can all be leaders in the workplace. In fact, leadership starts simply with traits like positivity, trustworthiness, nurturing creativity, giving constructive feedback and owning mistakes. And there’s beauty in this simplicity: anyone can integrate and model these leadership skills at any time. So, if you were looking for a permission slip to do so, consider this it!
Follow your passion
Say yes to projects that excite you, fulfil you or move you closer to big goals. Maybe that means building connections through culture-building events at work—like, say, a potluck—or meeting new people outside work by signing up for a yoga class. Activities like these help foster connections that run deeper than what you might normally experience.
Find support
You might not always feel like the captain of your ship. Just remember that the teaching profession features others who are tackling the same issues that you are. Find people you can share ideas with, rely on your support network and celebrate your successes. It starts with setting a healthy example for yourself and, remember, you’re not alone.
