Small Habits Create Big Change: Strategies to Avoid Burnout and Thrive in Your Education Career

Small on-the-job changes you can make to identify your strengths, prevent burnout, and maintain your passion for being an educator Small Habits Create Big Change is a valuable collection of micro-habits—small, science-backed adjustments—that educators can use to reclaim their mental health and their love for their jobs. This book helps you identify your unique personality type, so you can find the hacks and tweaks that will actually work as you strive to manage stress and reignite your passion for working with students. Many educators feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and on the verge of burnout, but it's never too late to turn things around. Best of all, psychologist Rebecca Branstetter gives you solutions that you can use while you work, so you don't have to sacrifice your already-scarce downtime. Large-scale approaches to preventing educator burnout often fail to consider an important fact—educators are individuals, and no one-size-fits-all solution will really fit everyone. People's innate strengths and weaknesses play a big part in determining whether the changes we make are likely to work for us. This unique book accounts for what makes you who you are, giving you options, ideas, and proven strategies that set you up for success. This way, you can manage stress, battle burnout, and get excited about your career once again. Identify your strengths and weaknesses using the exclusive Thrive-o-gram personality indicator Learn micro-habits that turn research about burnout prevention into transformation in your daily life Understand how to tap into your core strengths and protect your positive energy Personalize your action steps with a Thriving Roadmap This book isn't just about understanding who you are. It's about preventing burnout by aligning your work with your core strengths, values, and habits. All K-12 educators, including school psychologists and school-based mental health providers, will benefit from this balanced approach to work, fostering self-compassion, mindfulness, and resilience.

Table of Contents:
About the Author xiii Acknowledgments xv Foreword xvii Introduction: Why I Wrote Small Habits 1 How the Book Is Organized 2 Research vs. Reality 3 Information vs. Transformation 6 The Myth of Willpower 7 Micro-Habits That Are “Too Small to Fail” 7 Keystone Habits 9 Mindset Matters 12 Accountability 13 Self-Compassion 15 Habits Are a Vote for Who You Are 16 From What’s Wrong to What’s Strong 17 Take the Assessment 18 Thriving Action Plan 19 Discussion Questions 22 Notes 23 Chapter 1 Boosting Positive Energy 25 Why Filling Your Tank Is Essential 26 Bridging the Research to Your Reality 29 Know Your Strengths 29 Recognizing Flow in the Classroom 31 Micro movements Toward Recharging 31 Positive Priming – Setting the Stage for Success 33 Get Energy from Your Students 33 Blend Work with Passion 34 Micro-Habits to Use Your Thrive-O-Gram Strengths 35 Your Thriving Road Map 38 Discussion Questions 39 Notes 40 Chapter 2 Cultivate Work-Life Balance 41 Why Work-Life Balance Is Essential for Burnout Prevention 42 Bridging the Research to Your Reality 43 Recognizing Early Warning Signs 43 The Myth of Perfect Balance 44 Strategic Stopping: The Power of Pause 45 Language and Choice: Shifting from Should to Could 46 Micro-Habits to Use Your Thrive-O-Gram Strength 46 Your Thriving Road Map 50 Discussion Questions 51 Notes 52 Chapter 3 Build a Support Network 53 Why We Need to Build a Support Network 54 Bridging the Research to Your Reality 55 The Power of Emotional Contagion 55 Be the Energy in the Room 57 Be the Marigold 57 The Power of 2 Plus 3 59 Micro-Habits to Use Your Thrive-O-Gram Strength 61 Your Thriving Road Map 64 Discussion Questions 65 Notes 66 Chapter 4 Find Mindful Moments 67 Why Mindfulness Is Essential for Burnout Prevention 68 Bridging the Research to Your Reality 70 Clearing Your “Emotional Whiteboard” 71 Adult Recess: A Mindful Break 72 Cultivating the Inner Pause Button 73 Micro-Habits to Use Your Thrive-O-Gram Strength 75 Your Thriving Road Map 78 Discussion Questions 79 Notes 80 Chapter 5 Reduce Frustration 81 Why Reducing Frustration Is Essential for Burnout Prevention 82 Bridging the Research to Your Reality 83 The Power of Naming 84 Conducting a Control Audit 85 Reframing Stress 87 Reframe Mundane as Meaningful 88 Micro-Habits to Use Your Thrive-O-Gram Strength 89 Your Thriving Road Map 93 Discussion Questions 94 Notes 95 Chapter 6 Protecting Your Downtime 97 Why Protecting Your Downtime Is Essential for Burnout Prevention 98 Bridging the Research to Your Reality 99 Default Mode Network 99 Sleep 101 Water 103 Movement Breaks 103 Nature Breaks and Biophilic Design 103 Micro-Habits to Use Your Thrive-O-Gram Strength 104 Step 1: Reframe Moments of Choice 105 Step 2: Pick a Ritual 105 Step 3: Repeat with Low Friction 106 Your Thriving Road Map 110 Discussion Questions 111 Notes 112 Chapter 7 Cultivate Healthy Boundaries 113 Why Boundaries Are Important for Burnout Prevention 114 Bridging the Research to Your Reality 116 Starting with Yourself 116 Micro Boundaries: Small Steps Toward Big Change 117 Handling Pushbacks on Boundaries 119 Micro-Habits to Use Your Thrive-O-Gram Strength 120 Your Thriving Road Map 122 Discussion Questions 123 Notes 124 Chapter 8 Reduce Daily Stress 125 Why Reducing Daily Stress Is Essential for Burnout Prevention 127 Bridging the Research to Your Reality 129 Self-Care and Self-Compassion: Companions in Wellness 130 Complete the Stress Cycle 130 Finding Your Self-Care Language 132 Look Upstream 135 Micro-Habits to Use Your Thrive-O-Gram Strength 136 Your Thriving Road Map 138 Discussion Questions 139 Notes 140 Chapter 9 Gratitude 141 Why Gratitude Is Important for Burnout Prevention 143 Bridging Research to Your Reality 143 Savoring 144 Micro-Happiness 145 Gratitude Journal 146 Setting Intentions and Celebrating Small Wins 146 Praise Prism 147 Micro-Habits to Use Your Thrive-O-Gram Strength 147 Your Thriving Road Map 150 Discussion Questions 151 Notes 152 Chapter 10 Thrive Ratio 153 Why the Thrive Ratio Is Essential for Burnout Prevention 154 Bridging the Research to Your Reality 156 Explore the Diversity of Thrive Town 157 Cherish Where You Are 157 Celebrate the Road Traveled 157 Micro-Habits to Use Your Thrive-O-Gram Strength 158 Your Thriving Road Map 160 Discussion Questions 162 Appendix A: Your Personalized Thriving Road Map 163 Appendix B: Journey to Thrive Town: A Guide for School and District Leaders 175 Preparing for the Trip 177 Step 1: Choose Your Own Adventure! 177 Step 2: Read the Chapter 179 Step 3: Facilitate a Discussion 179 Step 4: Make it Visible 180 Engaging Your Team in Thrive Town 180 Create a Safe Environment 180 Use Discussion Prompts 180 Encourage Personal Reflection 181 Action Planning 181 Conclusion 181 Epilogue 183 Index 185

About the Author :
REBECCA BRANSTETTER, PhD, is the founder of The Thriving Students Collective and Thrive Hive TV Network, online platforms for boosting the mental health and learning needs of children and the educators who support them. A national media expert, Rebecca’s expertise has appeared in The Washington Post, NPR, CNN, and Parents magazine.