Do you find yourself or your students (or your own children!), experiencing mental fatigue? Is this term, DAF, familiar to you? I came across it and immediately resonated with it so thought to share here. Directed Attention Fatigue is a state of mental exhaustion resulting from the overuse of the brain's ability to maintain focus by suppressing distractions. Teachers' Main Distractions: - Constant Behaviour Monitoring - Digital Notifications/Devices - Interruptions and Rapid Task Switching - StressHigh Emotional/Behavioural Demands Students' Main Distractions: - Irrelevant Noise/ChatterManaging - Micro-Noises and Loud Environments - Visual Clutter/Peer Movement - Peer Interactions and Social Stress Good News: Nature Restores 😉 - Restore your attention via 'soft fascination'. Examples of this in the open air, on your school grounds perhaps, include natural elements such as clouds moving, leaves rustling, or birdsong or birds flying by, insects creeping, that engage attention effortlessly, a concept known as 'soft fascination'. This allows the directed attention (the mental energy used for concentration and filtering distractions) to rest and replenish, reducing cognitive fatigue. Have you experienced this 🐞?

A walk does wonders 😊 for the body, mind & soul 🍃. How often would you say you get out for a walk? Wishing you a most pleasant day!

Hi, Teachers! Wherever you may be, in which every phase of the 2025-26 school year, I am wishing you The Best ⭐! What's 1 Top Tip you have for beginning the school year in an uplifted way? Either for you, as the teacher-leader or something you do with your colleagues or students? #goodmood

Happy Fresh Air Friday 😀 No matter where you are in your day, take a moment to find the horizon. Looking at a distant point is a calming practice for your eyes, giving them a much-needed break from screens. This simple act of focusing on the vastness can feel incredibly reassuring, quieting your mind and reminding you that there is always something beautiful on the horizon. 🌻 Best to you as you finish this month and begin new adventures with your students this school year.

For you: Make a tiny change to your routine at transition times. Switch up what you've done in the past and add in a meet-outside with an intentional strategy. 😉 Calm for Focus Ideas For students: If an activity isn't working, be honest and say, "Let's try settling in to learning in a different way." This teaches them that it's okay to pivot and adapt.