Stillness in the Whirlwind: Why Educators Need to Embrace the Pause
In our fast-paced, overscheduled world, the concept of stillness can feel like a luxury - something nice to have, but ultimately impractical amidst the relentless demands on our time and energy. For educators in particular, the idea of carving out moments of tranquillity can seem like a laughable proposition. The life of a teacher or administrator is a whirlwind - a constant juggling act of lesson planning, marking, meetings, emails, and supporting the academic and emotional needs of many young people.
The Dissipated Educator
Add to that the myriad extracurricular activities, school performances, liturgies, and academic competitions that pack the calendar. Not to mention the behind-the-scenes work of curriculum development, professional development, and administrative tasks that keep the entire operation running smoothly. It's enough to leave even the most passionate educator feeling frazzled and depleted at times.
Stillness as Self-Preservation
And yet, it's precisely because of this frenetic pace that the ancient practice of stillness is so desperately needed in the field of education. This is the central premise of Ryan Holiday's book "Stillness is the Key" - that in our chronically distracted and frenzied state, we must intentionally cultivate pockets of stillness as a "life renovation" that allows us to operate at our highest levels.
As Holiday explains, the ability to step back, disengage from the incessant busyness, and simply be present is paramount for gaining perspective, replenishing our energy reserves, and making purposeful choices about how we spend our most precious resource: our time and attention. For educators tasked with shaping young minds, this intentional pausing is not just advisable - it's a professional imperative.
The High Cost of Depletion
When we're constantly in reaction mode, rushing from one task to the next with little time to breathe, we're operating from a space of depletion, not inspiration. We're more likely to lose our patience, fall back on suboptimal practices, and struggle to truly connect with our students in meaningful ways. The irony is that the more we try to pack into our days, the less effective and engaged we often become.
Modelling Presence Through Practice
Conversely, when we build in rituals of stillness - even if just 5-10 minutes to start and end the day with conscious breathing or a centring practice - we gain access to a depth of presence that allows us to show up as our best selves. We become more attuned to the emotional undercurrents in our classrooms, more creative in our lesson planning, and more resilient in the face of stress. In short, we're able to embody the qualities we hope to instill in our students.
The concept of making stillness a non-negotiable recently inspired our new psychoemotional strength program developed specifically for school staff. One of the core components is teaching simple yet powerful practices for grounding and presence - because you can't effectively support the emotional wellbeing of students if you're chronically dysregulated and depleted yourself.
The habits and mindsets we model as educators have a profound impact. When we prioritise being over constant doing, we give our students permission to slow down and we teach them that pausing to take stock and refuel isn't unproductive - it's actually the path to achieving more clarity, creativity and sustainability in their pursuits.
Of course, instilling stillness within an inherently fast-paced education system is no easy feat. There will always be demands, deadlines, and unexpected fires to put out. But that's exactly why we must get radically intentional about safeguarding pockets of tranquillity amidst the storm. As Holiday reminds us, “If the quiet moments are the best moments, and if so many wise, virtuous people have sung their praises, why are they so rare?”
For those of us who have chosen to educate young minds, making space for stillness isn't just pleasurable - it's essential to bringing our best selves to the classroom day after day, year after year. It's how we restore our sense of purpose, discernment and groundedness. It's how we hit the reset button, draw from the well of inspiration, and ultimately, avoid burnout.
So educators, let's embrace the pause. Let's celebrate the luxury of simply being, even for a moment before rushing off to tackle the next agenda item. In doing so, we'll gift ourselves the invaluable capacity to navigate this whirlwind profession with more grace, presence and impact.