The School of Wellbeing with Meg Durham

“Burnout is a sense of feeling overwhelmed by stuff. There is more coming at us than we have the ability currently to handle.” – Sue Langley What’s really driving burnout in schools? In this episode, Meg Durham sits down with Sue Langley to explore burnout through a systems lens. Together, they unpack why focusing on behaviour alone is rarely enough. Because burnout isn’t just about time management or resilience. It’s shaped by patterns that become normal, structures that influence workload, and beliefs about dedication, sacrifice, service and success that contribute to the way we work. This conversation widens the lens without dismissing personal responsibility. Individual habits matter. Boundaries matter. Deliberate action matters. But behaviour does not exist in isolation, it exist with a context. If burnout has ever felt like a personal shortcoming, this episode offers a different perspective. One that replaces self-criticism with curiosity and opens the door to wiser, more sustainable action. ---- Chapter Markers: 02:05 – What burnout really is 09:10 – Why behaviour change isn’t enough 16:40 – The Systems Iceberg explained 27:30 – Patterns that quietly become normal 38:20 – Structures shaping workload 47:15 – Mental models about sacrifice and success 56:50 – Moving from blame to curiosity ---- Reflection Prompts: A pattern of behaviour that is not serving me is... I feel pressure to… Being a "good" teacher/leader/colleague means... A small deliberate action I can take is... ---- Episode 162 Shownotes - Click here ---- Sue Langley Website | LinkedIn | YouTube ---- Meg Durham - Website | LinkedIn | Instagram Weekly Newsletter - Subscribe here Speaker Booking - Complete the booking form to start the conversation. ---- ** The School of Wellbeing is one of Australia's best health and wellbeing podcasts for teachers, educators and school leaders! ** ---- Your Questions Answered: What is the best podcast for teachers dealing with burnout and wellbeing? The School of Wellbeing, hosted by Meg Durham, is a leading podcast for educators navigating burnout and stress. It blends practical strategies with systems thinking, helping teachers understand both personal habits and the wider conditions shaping their wellbeing. Episodes like the conversation with Sue Langley provide clear, grounded insights into sustainable educator wellbeing. Why does teacher burnout feel like it suddenly hits all at once? Teacher burnout rarely happens overnight. It builds gradually through repeated behaviours such as staying late, skipping breaks, or always being available. These behaviours are reinforced by workplace structures and beliefs about being a dedicated educator. Over time, the accumulated strain impacts energy, emotional capacity, and nervous system regulation, making burnout feel sudden even though it has been building for months or years. How can educators manage burnout beyond basic self-care strategies? Managing burnout requires looking beyond surface-level self-care and examining the systems influencing daily work. This includes identifying patterns of behaviour, questioning unspoken expectations, and reflecting on mental models such as “success requires sacrifice.” Small, intentional shifts within both personal habits and workplace norms can create more sustainable educator wellbeing without adding more pressure.

Where do your thoughts go at the end of a busy school day? In this episode, Meg Durham is joined by Greer Kharidi to explore professional supervision and why it’s one of the most important, yet missing, supports for big-hearted humans working in schools. Meg and Greer unpack the emotional load educators carry, the complex decisions they are making every day, and why so many people are left to process it all on their own. Greer shares how professional supervision creates a safe, structured space for educators to reflect on their work, think through challenges, strengthen boundaries, and respond with greater clarity rather than react in the moment. They also explore how supervision differs from mentoring, coaching, therapy and EAP, and what becomes possible for the profession when we normalise having a space to process and make sense of our work. ---- Chapter Markers: 00:00 Introduction 04:40 What is supervision 13:00 Supervision vs mentoring, coaching and therapy 17:00 The emotional load of school life 25:30 The impact on staff and schools 31:00 Boundaries and saying no 36:00 What becomes possible ---- Deliberate Actions: Notice what you’re carrying home and how it’s impacting your life and relationships outside of work. Give yourself time to pause and think things through before responding to a request. Ask yourself, what is mine to carry and what is not. ---- Episode 161 Shownotes - Click here. ---- Greer Kharidi  Website | LinkedIn | Facebook ---- Meg Durham - Website | LinkedIn | Instagram Weekly Newsletter - Subscribe here Speaker Booking - Complete the booking form to start the conversation. ---- ** The School of Wellbeing is one of Australia's best health and wellbeing podcasts for teachers, educators and school leaders! ** ---- Your Questions Answered: What is professional supervision in schools? Professional supervision is a structured, reflective space where educators can talk through their work with a trained professional. It’s not about performance or being told what to do. Instead, it’s about pausing to think, gaining perspective, and working through the challenges and decisions that come with school life. It helps educators strengthen boundaries, build self-awareness, and show up more intentionally in their roles. What is emotional labour in teaching? Emotional labour in teaching refers to the process of managing, regulating and sometimes suppressing one’s emotions to meet the professional expectations of the role. This includes maintaining calm, care and professionalism while responding to student behaviour, supporting distressed students and families, and navigating complex interpersonal situations. It often involves both surface acting (displaying expected emotions) and deep acting (trying to genuinely feel those emotions), which requires significant cognitive and emotional effort. Over time, without opportunities to process these experiences, emotional labour can contribute to stress, burnout and reduced wellbeing. How can professional supervision support teacher wellbeing and decision-making? Professional supervision creates a safe space for educators to process their thoughts before they turn into stress or overwhelm. It allows them to reflect on situations, explore different ways of responding, and make decisions with greater clarity rather than reacting in the moment. Over time, this supports wellbeing, strengthens professional identity, and helps educators feel more confident in what they can and cannot carry. What would change in schools if professional supervision became standard practice? If professional supervision became part of everyday practice in schools, educators would feel more supported, more connected and better equipped to do their work. There would be greater clarity, stronger boundaries and less isolation. This would not only benefit staff wellbeing, but also improve consistency, relationships and outcomes for students. It invites a shift from coping alone to working together with intention and support.

“Self-preservation is about intentional actions that protect ourselves.” - Bianca McLeish What if working harder isn’t the answer? In this powerful conversation, educator and school leader Bianca McLeish shares her personal journey from burnout to self-preservation, drawing on insights from her book, 'Teacher Wellbeing Transformed: Break Free From Survival Mode Before Burnout'. Together, Meg and Bianca explore the difference between self-care and self-preservation, why understanding our nervous system changes everything, and the subtle signs that dedication may be tipping into depletion. Bianca offers practical, school-day strategies to regulate stress, protect our energy and work within our limits. This episode reframes wellbeing as essential because learning to work within our limits allows us to stay in this profession longer and without losing ourselves in the process. ---- Chapter Markers: 00:00 Introduction 04:18 Bianca’s burnout story 12:02 Self-care vs self-preservation 19:45 Understanding the nervous system 28:10 Subtle signs of depletion 36:40 Practical strategies for the school day 47:25 Working within our limits 55:10 Final reflections ---- Deliberate Actions: List the three signs you're stretching beyond your capacity. Give one small nervous system regulation strategy a go. Say: "I would love to help, but I am at capacity" to the next request that exceeds your limits. Schedule a two-minute self check-in this week. ---- Episode 160 Shownotes - Click here. ---- Bianca McLeish  Website | LinkedIn | Instagram ---- Meg Durham - Website | LinkedIn | Instagram Weekly Newsletter - Subscribe here Speaker Booking - Complete the booking form to start the conversation. ---- ** The School of Wellbeing is one of Australia's best health and wellbeing podcasts for teachers, educators and school leaders! ** ---- Your Questions Answered: What is self-preservation in teaching? Self-preservation in teaching is the deliberate practice of protecting your energy, emotional wellbeing, and professional boundaries so you can sustain your effectiveness over the long term. In a profession where the workload is open-ended and the emotional demands are high, self-preservation means recognising that your capacity is finite, even when the needs around you are not. It involves making intentional decisions about how much you take on, how you manage stress, and when you create clear stopping points in your day. In practical terms, self-preservation in education might look like setting realistic boundaries around after-hours communication, recognising early signs of teacher stress, regulating your nervous system during high-pressure moments, or saying no to additional responsibilities when your plate is full. It is not about disengaging from students or lowering professional standards. It is about working sustainably so you can continue to teach, lead, and care deeply without gradually eroding your own wellbeing. What is the difference between self-care and self-preservation? Self-care typically refers to restorative activities that help you recover from stress, such as exercise, sleep, time with family, hobbies, or relaxation practices. While self-care is important for teacher wellbeing and stress management, it often happens after depletion has already occurred. It is recovery-focused. Self-preservation, on the other hand, is proactive and preventative. It involves ongoing choices that protect your wellbeing before burnout takes hold. In teaching, this includes workload management, boundary setting, emotional regulation, and understanding how your nervous system responds to chronic stress. Where self-care helps refill the cup, self-preservation helps prevent the cup from cracking in the first place. Both matter, but self-preservation is what makes sustainable teaching possible. Why is teacher burnout so common? Teacher burnout is common because educators work in environments where the job is never fully done. There is always more planning, more marking, more student support, and more administrative responsibility. Combined with increasing behavioural complexity, accountability pressures, and limited resources, this creates sustained emotional and cognitive load. Without clear boundaries or structural support, even highly committed teachers can become chronically overstretched. Burnout in education is not a sign of weakness. It is often a predictable response to prolonged stress, excessive workload, and ongoing emotional labour. When self-sacrifice becomes the cultural norm in schools, teachers may ignore early warning signs such as fatigue, irritability, sleep disruption, or reduced enthusiasm. Over time, this can lead to exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy. Understanding burnout as a systemic and physiological issue, rather than a personal failure, is critical for meaningful prevention. How can educators avoid burnout? Preventing teacher burnout requires both individual and systemic strategies. At an individual level, educators can practise self-preservation by setting boundaries around workload, noticing early signs of stress, seeking collegial or professional support, and learning practical nervous system regulation techniques. Small, consistent adjustments to how you manage energy during the school day can significantly reduce long-term depletion. At a broader level, schools play a critical role in burnout prevention by fostering cultures that value staff wellbeing, realistic expectations, and psychological safety. Sustainable teaching practices, open conversations about workload, and leadership that models healthy boundaries all contribute to long-term staff retention and resilience. Burnout prevention is not about doing less work, but about doing the work differently, in ways that protect teacher capacity and wellbeing. Why is teacher wellbeing important for schools? Teacher wellbeing directly influences classroom climate, student engagement, and learning outcomes. Research consistently shows that when educators experience high levels of stress or emotional exhaustion, their ability to regulate behaviour, respond calmly, and build strong student relationships is reduced. Regulated teachers are better able to co-regulate students, creating safer and more effective learning environments. Beyond the classroom, teacher wellbeing impacts staff retention, collaboration, and whole-school culture. When educators feel supported and energised, they are more likely to remain in the profession, contribute positively to school improvement, and sustain high-quality teaching over time. Prioritising teacher wellbeing is not optional. It is a strategic investment in student success and the long-term health of school communities.

"Our default way of being is so strong, and the more depleted we are, the more likely we are to fall back to these default patterns." - Meg Durham In this final episode of The School of Wellbeing, Meg is interviewed by friend and colleague, David Bott, in a warm, honest and often hilarious reflection on the year that was. Together they explore the messy moments, the quiet wins and the stories behind the work. From people-pleasing when depleted, to balcony moments and co-reflection, to advocating as a parent and recognising the crumbs of impact that keep us going. Along the way, Meg shares the phrases that have saved her, and why doing less, but doing it better, matters more than ever. This conversation is a reminder that wellbeing is not about perfection, but about being deliberate, human and connected in the work we do. ---- Chapter Markers: 00:00 Turning the tables and setting the scene 02:18 What changes when Meg becomes the guest 05:40 The wetsuit story and default modes under pressure 10:51 A massage misadventure and people-pleasing when tired 16:02 The omelette incident and learning to pivot 19:27 What these moments teach us about depletion 20:59 Balcony moments, co-reflection and sentence starters 24:50 A real reflection on the year that was 25:42 Parenting, advocacy and uncomfortable conversations 29:38 The phrases that have saved Meg this year 30:59 What “kicking ten” looks like now 32:18 The crumb theory and invisible impact 37:47 Shifting seasons and reclaiming energy 40:25 Ocean swims, perspective and joy 46:48 Moments of pride from 2025 49:28 Looking ahead to 2026 ---- Deliberate Actions: Notice your default patterns of thinking and behaving when you are depleted. Create regular balcony moments through reflection or co-reflection. Have a few go-to mantras when life feels hard. ---- Episode 159 Shownotes - Click here. ---- David Bott Website | LinkedIn | Instagram ---- Meg Durham - Website | LinkedIn | Instagram Weekly Newsletter - Subscribe here Speaker Request - Complete the booking form to start the conversation. ---- ** The School of Wellbeing is one of Australia's best health and wellbeing podcasts for teachers, educators and school leaders! **

“Conversations are messy, and that's okay." - Kel Innis In this episode of the School of Wellbeing podcast, Meg Durham sits down with primary school principal Kel Innis for an honest and practical conversation about the moments in school life that many of us try to avoid. Together they explore the reality of important conversations, the emotions that arise and the skills that help us approach these moments with more care and confidence. You will hear them unpack the timing of conversations, the role of emotional intelligence and the importance of pausing before responding. Kel shares how she prepares herself for important conversations, how she stays steady in the moment and why following up afterwards is essential for building trust. This episode will support you to strengthen your communication, build connection and create a school culture where staff, students and families feel seen, heard and respected. ---- Chapter Markers: 01:30 The tension of conversations we cannot avoid 05:45 Kel’s early leadership experiences and what has changed 11:10 Planned and spontaneous conversations 16:00 Balancing care and professionalism 22:30 Emotional intelligence in challenging moments 28:55 The role of transparency in leadership 34:40 Moving from avoidance to approaching 41:05 Repairing after missteps 47:20 Creating a culture of clear and compassionate communication 52:10 Final reflections  ---- Deliberate Actions: Identify one conversation you have been avoiding and write down why it matters. Prepare yourself by choosing the right time, place and purpose for the conversation. Pause before responding so you can stay steady and speak with clarity. ---- Episode 158 Shownotes - Click here. ---- Meg Durham - Website | LinkedIn | Instagram Weekly Newsletter - Subscribe here Speaker Request - Complete the booking form to start the conversation. ---- ** The School of Wellbeing is one of Australia's best health and wellbeing podcasts for teachers, educators and school leaders! **

“Culture is shaped by the behaviours we encourage and the ones we tolerate.” – Adam Voigt In this episode, Meg chats with education leader and founder of Real Schools, Adam Voigt, for a practical and honest conversation about what school culture really is and how it’s created. Together, they explore the daily interactions, expectations and relationships that influence the way a school feels and functions. This is a grounded and hopeful conversation for educators and leaders who want to strengthen connection, trust and wellbeing in their school community. ---- Chapter Markers: 01:20 What school culture really means 06:45 Relationships as the first cultural indicator 12:10 The impact of COVID on engagement and respect 18:30 What has changed in schools over the last decade 23:40 Reflection as adjustment, not judgment 28:55 Positive reinforcement vs control-based models 35:20 Restorative Practice 2.0 41:10 Low-energy, high-return cultural shifts 47:00 The role of staff wellbeing 52:20 Final reflections ---- Deliberate Actions: Notice the everyday interactions as you walk through your school. These moments reveal the true culture more than any document or policy. Acknowledge positive behaviour from students and colleagues. Small moments of thanks build trust and reinforce what matters. Reflect for adjustment, not judgment. Ask yourself: “What’s one small shift I can make to support a healthier culture here?” ---- Episode 157 Shownotes - Click here. ---- Adam Voigt LinkedIn | Website | Books ---- Meg Durham - Website | LinkedIn | Instagram Weekly Newsletter - Subscribe here Speaker Request - Complete the booking form to start the conversation. ---- ** The School of Wellbeing is one of Australia's best health and wellbeing podcasts for teachers, educators and school leaders! **

“When the cognitive load is too high, and you're not coping, it really tears away at the fabric of who you think you are.” Georgia Park In this rich and reflective episode, Meg is joined by Tasmanian instructional coach and literacy leader Georgia Park to explore how understanding Cognitive Load Theory can transform the way we teach, learn, and lead in schools. Georgia shares her journey from classroom overwhelm to clarity and confidence, offering deep insight into how instructional practices grounded in cognitive science can support both student outcomes and educator wellbeing. Together, they explore what cognitive load actually means, why it matters, and how structure and explicit instruction can unlock greater engagement, equity, and joy in the classroom. If you have ever felt stretched too thin or wondered why your lessons are not landing the way you hoped, this conversation offers both practical insight and a sense of possibility. ---- Chapter Markers 01:48 - What sparked Georgia’s interest in Cognitive Load Theory 03:44 - Defining Cognitive Load Theory in simple terms 05:27 - Why cognitive load matters for student wellbeing 06:49 - How instruction shapes student identity 08:43 - Reflection, vulnerability, and removing shame from teaching 10:13 - Georgia’s shift from inquiry-based to explicit instruction 12:19 - Common myths and misunderstandings about CLT 14:24 - The deeper value systems behind the resistance to change 16:05 - Comparing past and current teaching practices 17:36 - How CLT helped Georgia personally and professionally 19:13 - Learning struggles, self-forgiveness, and grief 22:39 - Literacy success and what changed at a systems level 24:38 - Teacher impact and flow in structured classrooms 26:45 - Whole-school alignment and shared direction 28:24 - Structure is not boring when it’s collaborative and empowering 32:10 -What really moved the needle in Georgia’s school 34:51 - Instruction and wellbeing cannot be separated 36:04 - Georgia’s final reflections ---- Deliberate Actions Reduce the load before raising the barTake a moment to reflect on whether your students (or staff) are overloaded. Before introducing something new, consider what you might simplify, scaffold, or step back from. Use structure to create flowTry applying a clear “I do, we do, you do” sequence in your next lesson. Structure is not the enemy of creativity, it is what allows deeper engagement and clarity. Build shared language with your teamIntroduce phrases like “Is this in their long-term memory yet?” or “Could the load be too much?” to help depersonalise challenges and support professional reflection. ---- Episode 156 Shownotes - Click here. ---- Meg Durham - Website | LinkedIn | Instagram Weekly Newsletter - Subscribe here Speaker Request - Complete the booking form to start the conversation. ---- ** The School of Wellbeing is one of Australia's best health and wellbeing podcasts for teachers, educators and school leaders! **

“Who we are beyond our work shapes how we show up within it.” Mark Worthington In this episode of The School of Wellbeing, Meg Durham sits down with Mark Worthington, Head of Player Development Manager at the Geelong Cats and former teacher, to explore what it means to have an identity beyond work. Together they discuss the parallels between education and elite sport including the intensity, the transitions, and the pressure to perform, and why cultivating a non-work (or non-athletic) identity is vital for long-term wellbeing and success. Mark shares insights from his journey from the classroom to the AFL, reflecting on balance, leadership, self-compassion, and how caring for the person behind the professional transforms how we live and work. ---- Chapter Markers 00:00 – Welcome and introduction 04:10 – From teaching to elite sport: Mark’s story 10:35 – The intensity of high-performance environments 17:20 – Developing a non-work identity 23:40 – Balancing personal life and professional demands 31:15 – Self-compassion and sustainable leadership 38:00 – Feeling supported beyond performance 44:50 – Lessons from sport for teachers and school leaders 50:30 – Final reflections: thriving beyond work ---- Deliberate Actions Reflect on what fills you up outside of work. Schedule time this week for something that reminds you of who you are beyond your role. Start a conversation with a colleague about how you each protect your non-work identity. Give yourself permission to rest and recover because it’s part of sustainable performance. ---- Episode 155 Shownotes - Click here. ---- Mark Worthington  LinkedIn ---- Meg Durham - Website | LinkedIn | Instagram Weekly Newsletter - Subscribe here Speaker Request - Complete the booking form to start the conversation. ---- ** The School of Wellbeing is one of Australia's best health and wellbeing podcasts for teachers, educators and school leaders! **

“Turn learning from shame making into thrill seeking.” - Andrew Fuller Andrew Fuller, Clinical psychologist joins Meg Durham to reframe neurodivergence through a strengths based lens. We explore why labels alone are not enough, how teachers can think like coaches, and practical ways to change the neurochemistry of a room on purpose. Andrew explains myelination and unique strengths, shows how language shifts like today’s challenge lift engagement, and walks through the Attach Approach so we can move students from agitation to connection. We talk school culture that connects, protects and respects, sensory aware classrooms, after lunch resets, and partnering with parents around a student’s strengths. The goal is simple and profound: help young people feel valued for who they are and set them up for success in school and beyond. ---- Chapter markers: 00:20 Welcome back Andrew and why this book 02:00 What neuroadvantage means and why strengths matter 04:45 Teacher as coach building bridges from strengths 07:19 Music and maths the brain bridge we often miss 10:43 How recognising strengths changes learning 12:20 School culture CPR connect protect respect 14:33 Simple classroom tweaks that help every brain 16:48 Language shift from learning objectives to today’s challenge 21:59 The Attach Approach activate agitate avoid attack attach 25:36 Dance rhythm puzzles and the dopamine lift 33:33 Physical environment and sensory experience 35:27 Designing varied break time options to reduce friction 36:59 After lunch strategies that change the mix in the room 43:31 Partnering with parents using a strengths profile 46:24 Calming strategies and learning each child 50:03 Joy the future and being a catalyst ---- Deliberate Actions: Open each lesson with a short challenge on the board to boost motivation quickly. Give every major instruction both verbally and visually so more students can follow along. Use quick fast thinking bursts followed by slow reflection to balance energy and focus. Replace learning objective with today’s challenge in your lesson language for one week. Introduce a three minute movement or music routine to start or reset a class. Identify one calming strategy for each focus student and practise it before you need it. ---- Episode 154 Shownotes - Click here. ---- Andrew Fuller  Website | LinkedIn | Books | My Learning Strengths ---- Meg Durham - Website | LinkedIn | Instagram Weekly Newsletter - Subscribe here Speaker Request - Complete the booking form to start the conversation. ---- ** The School of Wellbeing is one of Australia's best health and wellbeing podcasts for teachers, educators and school leaders! **

"When we're self-reflective, we bring our better self.” - Tracey Ezard Ever noticed how one person can shift the energy in a room? In this episode of The School of Wellbeing, Meg Durham is joined by leadership expert, keynote speaker and educator Tracey Ezard to explore how our presence, mindset and emotional tone influence school culture, team dynamics and professional relationships. Together, they unpack what it means to lead with authenticity, how self-awareness supports growth, and why the tone we set matters in every interaction. Whether you are in the classroom, on a leadership team or supporting others in education, this is a powerful reminder that who we are is just as important as what we do. In this episode, you will learn How our presence shapes school culture, connection and trust. Why authentic leadership builds stronger teams. When strengths become blind spots without reflection. What self-awareness and emotional intelligence make possible. Can honest conversation build more trust and clarity. This conversation is ideal for educators, school leaders and anyone passionate about teacher wellbeing, educational leadership and creating healthy, high-performing learning environments. Episode 153 Shownotes - Click here. ---- Tracey Ezard  Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Books ---- Meg Durham - Website | LinkedIn | Instagram Weekly Newsletter - Subscribe here Speaker Request - Complete the booking form to start the conversation. ---- ** The School of Wellbeing is one of Australia's best health and wellbeing podcasts for teachers, educators and school leaders! **