As we enter the final month of school for this year, our attention is on the examinations. It is a difficult time to settle into studying as the outdoors, socialising and holidays beckon. There is also significant pressure on the girls to achieve excellence in order to access tertiary education. Our girls need encouragement and nurturing during this time, and they need our guidance as to how best to approach the final examinations. I believe in balance as an approach that is enduring and mostly, one that delivers good outcomes.

I often turn to Dr Ela Manga’s writing when I am looking for guidance on how to find a balanced approach in our adrenalin lifestyle. This is some advice that has relevance for our girls as they prepare for the examinations:

Be discerning

Be conscious of the information that you allow into your space. How much negativity from media and social media do you allow into your space? And what is the impact on your energy? Be mindful of what you watch and listen to, and how it is benefiting you. Who do you follow on social media and why? Detox your space from the people and information that drain your energy. When it comes to watching television, do you waste time and energy mindlessly flipping channels because you are bored and tired? Choose what you enjoy watching on television and allocate the time to watch just that programme. Having the television in the background fills our awareness with unnecessary clutter. Each of us are unique in the way that our brain works and what supports our focus. For some of us, listening to music while working supports focus, while for others it is a distraction. Be aware of how your brain works to support focus and energy. Psychologists call this “metacognition”, which is the ability to be aware of your own mental processes and understand your brain and how you deal with incoming information.

Deanne King

Head of School