Exams coming up? No need to lose your cool!! Read on…
Our agency’s sister company, the Paris Institute of Childcare Training, offers a unique PAID training and work opportunity! When you sign a contract with us you are also signing up to a repertoire of community support initiatives! Our organization prides itself on placing the needs and the welfare of our childcarers as a top priority.
In order to get the CAP petite enfance qualification, at the end of the ten month programme it is neccessary for our students to take exams across a variety of subjects…. in French! While we are confident they have been given all the correct tools to pass these tests, there is naturally an element of stress 😉 We recognized this and decided to introduce mindfulness to the student’s tool kit!
What is Mindfulness?
At this moment in time just a few weeks before the CAP childcare diploma exams, it is the best moment to find time for mindfulness! The students are part of an intense programme of learning… add daily childcare to that and you’ve got a full schedule!
Mindfulness is one way to manage the balance between life and work. Stress occurs when we are put into what we perceive to be a fight-or-flight situation. Perhaps fear comes or anxiety. This serves us if we are faced with a python but is not so helpful in our day to day lives. Adrenalin and cortisol are produced which give us energy and focus. But if there is no relief, no action to end the stress then that cortisol just builds up into brain fog.
Where focus goes energy flows – Wayne Dyer
Anytime, anywhere
The truth is, you can do mindfulness with any task – making a cup of tea, on your walk to the bus stop, brushing your teeth…
It’s just about accessing the awareness that you have already available to you. Your inner quiet amongst the chaos. Whatever you do as a daily practice can become your ‘bell of mindfulness’
- Step out of autopilot and experience simple, routine tasks as if for the first time, focusing on the detail of the sensations within them
- Brushing your teeth
- Washing up
- On the metro to work
- Eating and drinking
- Getting dressed
Try it out: A mindful moment
Make a cup of tea. Listen to the bubbling noise of the water boiling in the kettle. Enjoy placing the mug down, the smell of the tea, the steam of the water, the quiet moment to drink it. Notice the taste of the tea and the warmth of the cup. Listen to the sounds around you and take 2 minutes for yourself. Just a few minutes makes a large difference. But if you want to go further, this article takes us through the experience more carefully https://www.mindful.org/mindful-cup-tea/
Effective studying
When we are studying for exams we want to be focussed! Take regular breaks, ideally every 45 minutes and do a mindfulness exercise like training the puppy to guide your mind from wandering and to oxygenate your brain for better learning. Just a few minutes of focussing on the breath is all you need to take away stress and anxiety which cloud your focus and make you feel agitated. The good news is, our breath is always with us to help us to reconnect!
Comment below and share your mindfulness experiences!
