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Member Spotlight: #Self-care by Leena Mendoza

Member Spotlight
#Self-care by Leena Mendoza

This is my first year with the CLEAR Mentoring Program.  I have observed the best mentors and protégés in the field of education.  One thing I noticed is that we are involved in many organizations and have many commitments.  We are board members, committee members, serve as consultants and the list goes on and on.  I thought to myself, “How do we handle stressors or handle all our workload?”  I observed that we put ourselves last in some cases.  As I took my new job with the City of Fresno in Project Management, I wondered if I could do all the things that I had been doing.  I enjoyed volunteering in the community, sitting on committees and being a board member as well. However, I quickly realized that with the new job there were new levels of responsibility and new requirements for leadership, I had to take things off of my plate. I had to go to bed early and prepare for the next day.  I really focused on learning my new job.  I realized that self-care was very critical.

Here are some recommendations for Self Care:

Identify What Self Care Means.  Does it mean exercising, eating well, having reflection time, or a day at the spa?

Be Intentional with Our Time.  Making ourselves a priority is critical.  Set fifteen minutes in our calendar so that we can achieve three top priorities for the day.

Celebrate Your Wins.  Celebrate our accomplishments that we have achieved. We often don’t pat ourselves on the back.  It is important to process what we worked so hard for.

Surround Yourself with a Support Team.  Make sure the people we surround ourselves with help push us higher, give constructive criticism, and cheer us onto our goals.

Let’s Get Organized.  Wherever we work or live, we should be as organized as possible.  An organized space helps us become less stressed; stay focused, and provide a positive environment.

Rest and Relax.  It’s okay to get some R&R.  In fact, it’s imperative.  Resting our brains and our bodies is very helpful for self-care and self-management.  Relaxing will help us recover and rejuvenate.

Feed Your Mind Positive Thoughts.  In an ever changing world, there is so much negativity.  Negativity is on the news, it can be in our community, and sometimes in our own home.  Fostering and cultivating a positive environment is well worth it.  Keep feeding your mind healthy thoughts and have a mantra to keep going.

Reflect.  This is a key practice that is taught in CLEAR Mentoring Program.  Reflect on what worked, what didn’t work, and what will be different the next time.  We are all growing in knowledge and wisdom.  It’s important to continue the practice of reflecting.

Self-care is how you define it and it is important that we make yourself a priority.  With all the responsibilities, priorities, and leadership roles you have, YOU must be first.

Let us know if these recommendations work for you and how you have implemented this in your practice.  Have a great year with CLEAR!