Assessing SEL in Students: The Challenges, What to Avoid & What’s New
According to a review on the current state of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) assessments, it states, “Although policies and programs designed to support the development of student SEL have advanced significantly, less work has been done to develop methods of assessing student social and emotional competence.” This article uncovers the current challenges facing teachers when evaluating […]
Stress: How it Affects Workplaces from the Classroom to the Boardroom & Breaking the Cycle
The American Psychological Association (APA) surveys people across the U.S. about stress. However, their 2020 survey was a game-changer. It revealed that Americans have been profoundly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and that the external factors Americans have listed in previous years (such as economic, job, and societal issues) as significant sources of stress remain present […]
Workplace Mindfulness: How This Practice Leads to Next-Level Productivity
According to the New York Times, “In recent years, many companies – from Google to General Mills – have started teaching mindfulness in the office.” An article in the Guardian also suggests, “Mindfulness can help reduce anxiety, stress, and conflict, and increase resilience and emotional intelligence (EQ) while improving communication in the workplace.” But what does mindfulness in the […]
The Neuroscience of Self-Awareness and How to Level Up This Soft Skill in the Workplace
Cognitive neuroscientist Stephen M. Fleming, author of Know Thyself: The Science of Self-Awareness, recently suggested in his book that there has been some progress in understanding self-awareness. In his book, he refers to a part of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), the “association cortex,” which is well-developed in humans relative to other primates. It is these regions of the association cortex […]
First Responder Burnout: How to Spot it and Self-Care Tips to Combat It
First responders reach out to the survivors of accidents, criminal activity, and disasters to provide them with life-saving emotional and physical support. These heroic duties, although essential, are strenuous to paramedics, firefighters, law enforcement, and other EMS professionals and, over time, put them at an increased risk of burnout. One study revealed that nearly half of all […]
Workplace Mental Health: What’s Working, What’s Alarming, & the Revolution Taking Shape
Two-thirds of employees state that poor mental health has undercut their job performance during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey by health benefits provider Lyra Health. In another report conducted by ClassPass, 50 percent of professionals say their workload, stress, and burnout levels have increased since the start of the pandemic. Similar studies continue to show […]
The Price of Physical Inactivity During COVID-19 – What A New Study Finds
During the pandemic, the U.S. has been rolling out massive campaigns to reduce the transmission of COVID-19. Americans have seen countless public service announcements about wearing masks and staying socially distanced. Now that vaccines are available, there is a galvanization of research institutions, advertising agencies, and even former Presidents creating campaigns with the hope of […]
Signs of Low Self-Awareness & How to Raise This Life Skill
CEO of an executive coaching firm, Dr. Kimberly Janson, recently told Forbes, “We often do not see ourselves how others experience us, both on the upside of our strengths and positive attributes and the downside regarding our deficiencies. When asked about ourselves, we will often say how much we know ourselves, ‘Believe me; I know myself […]
How Combining SEL & Neuroscience Can Break Teachers Stress Cycle
“Teachers are the engine that drives social and emotional learning (SEL) programs and practices in schools and classrooms, and their social-emotional competence and wellbeing strongly influence their students. But when teachers poorly manage the social and emotional demands of teaching, students’ academic achievement and behavior both suffer.” This quote is from Dr. Kimberly Schonert-Reichl, the NoVo […]
Mental Health Stigma in the Workplace: What It Looks Like & How to Combat It
From PSAs and psychologists to musicians, celebrities, and even Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, the call for better mental health initiatives has never been louder. In a recent USA article, Prince Harry states, “I firmly believe that focusing on and prioritizing our mental fitness unlocks potential and opportunity that we never knew we had inside of us.” […]