Episode 3: Kelly Swartwood on Self-Care - BLaST Intermediate Unit 17

Transcript

Welcome to BLaST the Airwaves with BLaST Intermediate Unit 17. Here at BLaST Intermediate Unit 17, we strive to transform lives and communities through educational services. On this podcast, we will provide you with educational solutions for all, no matter the learning environment. So teachers, administrators, caretakers, what are you waiting for?
What would happen if we started questioning, what if? What if we had a positive perspective on education? What if we flip the switch on education? What if we were the solution?
Hello listeners. We are excited to blast the airways with you today and provide educational solutions for all. My name is Rebecca Gibboney, and I am the Curriculum and Online Learning Specialist here at BLaST Intermediate Unit 17. I am thrilled to welcome you to episode three of BLaST the Airwaves, and I’m even more thrilled because today we have our first surprise guest on the podcast.
During this episode, we will discuss the importance of self-care in a little more depth with our special guest. She will provide us with some tools, strategies, and yes, some more resources to help find that work-life balance. Should I prolong this any longer? I know you can hardly wait to meet our guest. Hmm.
Just kidding. I won’t be that mean. Listeners, let’s start blasting the airways. Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with Kelly Swartwood, one of our behavior supports here at BLaST Intermediate Unit 17. Kelly, thanks so much for joining us today to discuss educational solutions for all. Specifically, we will be discussing self-care. Are you ready to blast the airwaves?
I can hardly wait.
Why don’t we start by telling us a little bit more about your role in relation to self-care here at the intermediate unit?
So, I really started working with, my undergraduate work is actually social work. So, and I started working a lot with trauma-informed care in the past couple of years. And, I just had one moment that kind of stuck out to me. I had a counselor that had said to me that it’s not only the students that really need the self-care, it’s also the coworkers that she works with that really just express sometimes that they’re, you know, stressed out themselves; or, they have so many strategies and so many things that the students comment to them that are stressful in their lives, that they just, it’s a lot on their shoulders at times as well. So it’s not only just for the students that I think we need self-care, but for ourselves as educators as well.
Yeah. I think that’s super important because there are times where we leave the classroom that day and we feel like we’re carrying the baggage for our students as well. So the importance that sometimes we forget ourselves for self-care. So, great. Thank you. And, we all love our stories. Can you share with us a time when perhaps someone you know, needed a little more self-care, or perhaps you needed a little extra self-care and how you gave yourself, or this person gave themselves permission for a little bit of you time?
Well, I would say that a friend and I both had a major life experience we were both kind of going through, and we committed ourselves to every Thursday night we were going to do yoga. And we both have kids and we both are, have, you know, work. And so every Thursday night it was our commitment that we went to yoga every night, every Thursday. And then we, actually, talked to our yoga teacher into coming to my house to do it outside. So, I just always still remember the ending of yoga was the quiet moment for myself, and sometimes when I’m stressed out at work, I think about that quiet moment. And, it just helps me to kind of get through that.
That’s awesome. That’s awesome. I wish I could get into yoga. I don’t know if I have the patience, but I need to learn. And that brings up one of our other episodes we talked about. Kind of like commitment partners or accountability partners. So especially having that person to really hold you accountable and go through it with you I think also can be really important.
And if I could just add one thing to that. I think one of the biggest things, too, is just building, I loved them. The one strategy I heard was just talk about what is a cue, something that prompts us to know that we need to do that take care of that self-care. So, whether it’s, mine was like it’s every Thursday, and then that’s getting into that kind of routine piece of it is that this is what I’m going to do every week. And then giving yourself that kind of reward for actually doing it. So that kind of cue routine reward helps to kind of, you know, helps you to kind of go through that process of taking care of yourself, as well.
That’s awesome. I read something before, too, about like triggers. Like recognizing your trigger and then having your cue. You’re just hitting on everything. We also talked about routines as well earlier in the podcast this week. So, that’s great. Thank you. So, I’m a teacher and I’m really struggling with that work-life balance, like many of us do. You don’t even have to be a teacher for that. What recommendations or suggestions would you have for me?
I think you just have to pick one thing that works for you. So if yoga is not your thing, you have to find the line one thing. And I am also, I love to walk and when I’m stressed out, I always say I’m a whole five foot two, but I walk really fast. So people who are taller struggle to keep up with me at times. But like, that is my thing. If I need to walk, then I need, I commit to myself that I need to go for a walk that evening. And, it’s just the piece of making it okay to take care of yourself. And we really, sometimes pass a little bit of judgment when we see people leaving on time at the end of the day, or we see them taking a walk on their lunch break and really, realizing that that might be their own self-care strategy that they do to take care of themselves as well.
Yeah. I know. I like to take walks and I definitely think that that’s something that we need to be mindful of in the workplace. Everyone has their thing. And so, like you say, maybe they come in right at 7:30 when they have to be here, or maybe they leave right at 3:15 when the bell rings or whatnot. But I think we need to be mindful and empathetic to everyone’s routines.
For sure. I’m also a big nature person. So just being in the woods and hearing the crick or hearing the birds or hearing, you know, the frogs, whatever it might be. But it just, for me, that’s something that really works for me. So reminding myself to just be out in the woods or to walk around my house or something like that, but whatever works for you. But, finding that one thing that works for you. Sometimes we try to do 10 things and it’s just, you know, life is busy and I understand life is busy. So it’s just finding one thing that really works for you.
Right. Right.
And I’m going to go a little off-script, but sometimes I think about like, I talked about being mindless, right. And so I guess some people would you recommend some mindless activities? Where I found that I’m starting to enjoy reading at night, not even tied to professionalism.
So, and that’s really my, my yoga moment that I go back to is that piece where.
You know, the exercise was really, just, quieting your mind and that’s, you know, easier said than done sometimes. But I go back to that thought of just sitting there and not, you know, thinking about things that I really love to think about. So if I have a theme and I think about water, like, what are things I appreciate about water? What are the things I appreciate about the trees? What are things I appreciate about nature? And just like having those moments for yourself to be able to kind of call them your own mind as well.
Awesome. So, Kelly, question from the field. Sometimes we like to do this with our guests. Are you ready for this?
I am.
All right. The biggest question that we get, and I’m sure you get, how do you find time?
Yeah. And that’s definitely hard, and it truly is that piece of just making a commitment to yourself. And for me, it was like, the piece of every Thursday night. It was my thing that I just committed to. And I always say, it’s not the fact of, we’re never going to get more time. It’s how we effectively use the time that we have. So, if I look at how much time I spend looking at Facebook or I look how much time I spend watching mindless TV, and maybe that is my self-care strategy; but you know, I can steal a few moments from each of those things and then create that opportunity for myself. And really realizing that part of taking care of yourself is going to regenerate you to be able to help better take care of others.
Yeah, I think that’s so important. I remember a time where I almost feel like there’s a shift. I really, I don’t know. I do. I think there’s a shift between sometimes when you’re a young educator, everything’s so new to you. You might be in your first year, second year. And so you get like super enthralled in your work and you’re working all the time. And then I found a time in my career where I shifted and I was like, wow, like I need something. And I think there comes a time professionally where you’re like, I need to find the balance. And then you start thinking. Now’s the time. Like, I need to take care of myself. And so, I definitely think there’s a time professionally where you think about more consciously and intentionally your self care.
Yep. And I think it’s just, it’s just that commitment to yourself for sure.
Awesome. So now it’s time for our favorite part, our blast five. We’re going to blast you with five random questions for you to quickly answer. So it’s rapid question fire. These are all related to the topic of self-care. All right. You ready for this one?
I am ready.
All right. So your favorite app for self-care?
I love just it’s, it’s not necessarily for self-care, but for me, it’s for students and just their self-care in a classroom. But I love the Be + app that’s on pbis.org that just gives you prompts and reminders to use positive comments throughout your school day. And that is really a great self-care strategy for your students.
Awesome. Favorite strategy?
Maintaining that four to one ratio. Whether it’s in relationships, friendships, students, your own children, but keeping four positive comments to one redirection comment.
Great. Favorite read?
Lisa Lucas. If you haven’t read Practicing Presence, it is a great resource. I read it all summer and I read it a couple of times this summer. And, there are so many strategies that you can take and just commit to one of those self-care strategies that I think anyone could find something that works for them in that book.
Favorite website?
I just have to say pbs.org, because that is our national website for school-wide positive behavior support. And we also have the Pennsylvania positive behavior support network website also that you can use.
Great. And personally, what is your favorite ultimate self-care?
It truly, I, again, anything to do for me, being in the woods is very calming for me. So whether that’s a hike or whether that is, camping or whether that is, you know, kayaking. Anything where I am away from city stimulation and just quiet moments for me is a great self-care strategy for me.
Awesome. And so thank you for that blast five. There’s definitely some books in there. and the app that I’d love to try. I haven’t even heard of that app yet. So, excited to try that out and I’m sure our listeners are too. We cannot thank you enough for your time today, Kelly, and we know our listeners enjoyed it as well. I’m sure they want to connect with you further. What is the best way for your listeners to connect with you?
Probably by email. So it’s just kswartwood@iu17.org is my website. My email. I’m sorry. And I’m so in that would probably be the easiest way.
Wonderful. And we’ll definitely link that into your show notes, into our show notes.
So again, to connect with Kelly and hear some more from her and what she offers here at the BLaST Intermediate Unit 17 region. It is kswartwood – S W A R T W O O D – D as in dog .org. And we’ll link that again in the show notes. So this has been a blast Kelly, no pun intended. Again, thank you for taking some time today to BLaST the Airwaves with us and our listeners.
It was a pleasure to have you on the podcast, take care, and hopefully, we will talk soon.
Okay. Thank you.
Speaking of self-care. Feeling overbooked? Don’t miss out on BLaST Intermediate Unit 17’s asynchronous book study that will focus on building a relationship with yourself and your peers, while traveling on a guided journey of self-exploration. There are four books in the series, but you don’t need to join them all. The first one, Find Your Why by Simon Sinek, David Mead and Peter Docker begins October 5th.
For more information on how you can join the overbooked community, visit our website: www.iu17.org/professional-learning/.
We would like to thank you for blasting the airwaves with us today. If you like the show, please subscribe or leave a review. If you want to know more, check out www.iu17.org for further resources and show notes. As always, we want to thank you for what you do every single day. Remember, keep shining. We’ll be back next episode to provide you another educational solution for all, as we continue to transform lives and communities through educational services.