article 3 : avoiding burnout

Avoiding School Librarian Burnout: Simple Steps to Ensure Your Personal Best.

When I  came across this wonderful article, I felt as though I wanted to send it off to all of my colleagues at work.  It is a simply-written article that speaks practically of how you can avoid becoming "burnt out".  Although this article is written specifically with teacher librarians in mind it can apply to just about any field of work.

DelGuidice gives the reader words of advice that can help you in preventing "burn out" and save

your physical and mental health at the same time. (I could sure follow some of this advice right now!)

*  attend conferences and workshops

*  learn to say no ask for help when you need it

*  learn to let go

*  beat the budget blues

*  reach out

 She ends with a checklist of signs of burnout.  It is broken down in to 3 categories : physical symptoms, social indicators, and professional behaviour.  Most of us are good at recognizing when we are experiencing physical symptoms of burn out, but DelGuideice points out that there are such things as becoming annoyed when students ask for assisstance during thh school day, or snapping at co-workers and losing patience when teaching a lesson.  I have to admit that I have gotten to that point a few times, and do know that that is indeed a clear sign that I have reached a point where I need a break.

On that note I am aure looking forward to a break, so as to avoid the dreaded 'burn out'!

DelGuidice, Margaux. "Avoiding School Librarian Burnout: Simple Steps to Ensure Your Personal Best." Library Media Connection 29.4 (Jan/Feb 2011): 22-23.