Jun 03, 2025
The early years lay the foundations for children's future learning and development. As practitioners, we are privileged to witness those first steps, first words, and first friendships, pouring our energy and passion into creating magical experiences and enabling environments where young children thrive. Yet, the dedication required to effectively deliver the EYFS, going above and beyond to support children, engage families, and collaborate with colleagues, can bring its own unique pressures.
In a previous life, before joining The Old Station Nursery, I found myself increasingly stretched. The commitment to ensuring high-quality practice, coupled with the emotional investment in the well-being of children, families and staff, began to take its toll. The lines between work and my personal life blurred, and the sheer volume of responsibilities started to feel less like a fulfilling challenge and more like an overwhelming burden, bringing with it exhaustion that goes beyond tiredness, detachment that dampens passion, and a nagging sense of being unable to keep up, despite giving everything I had.
I began to recognise the physical and emotional signs of burnout – the constant colds and illness, the lack of being able to switch off from work, the inability to sleep, the self-doubt, the worry of not doing a good enough job, the fear of letting down children, families and colleagues and the diminished joy in aspects of my work that I usually loved. This then encroached into my homelife, where I was working long into the night, constantly checking my emails and prioritising work over family time, and becoming disengaged in going out with friends and family.
I had reached a point where I felt I couldn’t go on in my role and thankfully found a new position in the Professional Development team. Starting a new job gave me the insight and clarity I needed; it became clear that I couldn’t effectively support others if I was running on empty. This revelation highlighted: to be my best self both at work and at home, I first needed to prioritise looking after myself. This realisation sparked a journey of self-discovery and a commitment to prioritising well-being, both for myself and others.
It was during this time that I was introduced to Gallup’s Clifton Strengths. Developed by Don Clifton, a renowned psychologist, Clifton Strengths is rooted in positive psychology and the question ‘what if we focused on what is right with people, rather than what is wrong with them?’. This particularly resonated with me as this links to early years pedagogy and what we know about supporting children to reach their potential based on their likes, interests and passions.
Understanding that my dominant Clifton Strength themes were Harmony, Individualisation, Learner, Arranger, and Responsibility provided a framework for understanding both my natural inclinations and some of the potential pitfalls into burnout I had encountered. For instance, my strength in Harmony, while enabling me to build strong, collaborative relationships within teams, had perhaps led me to overcompensate at times, trying to smooth over every potential conflict at the expense of my own energy. My Responsibility theme meant I felt a deep personal commitment to the well-being of everyone I supported, which, without conscious boundaries, contributed to feeling overwhelmed by the weight of that care.
My Learner strength became a powerful tool in understanding what energises me. Driven by a natural curiosity and a desire to improve, I immersed myself in researching and learning more about well-being, professional development, and effective leadership. I actively sought out strategies for setting boundaries, delegating more effectively, and learning to prioritise self-care – viewing my own experience as a valuable learning opportunity. As a Learner, progression and development are also deeply important to me, and I see this same drive in so many of my colleagues.
The Individualisation theme helped me to recognise that, just as each child in our care is unique, so too are the needs and experiences of our teams. This has driven me in supporting as many people as possible to learn about and celebrate their own strengths, as well as the strengths of those around them in order to work better together. Finally, my Arranger strength, with its knack for organising and finding the most efficient way forward, allowed me to restructure my workload and implement systems that promoted better balance and reduced unnecessary strain, not just for myself but for the wider team at The Old Station Nursery.
A strength-focused outlook is incredibly important to me, both when working with the children in our care and with my colleagues. We all have unique talents and contributions to make, and it is vital that we feel seen, celebrated, and given the opportunity to shine. My journey through burnout has not been easy, but it has been profoundly transformative. By understanding my Clifton Strengths, I gained invaluable self-awareness, learning not only my potential vulnerabilities but also recognising and appreciating my capabilities for resilience and growth.
My hope in sharing this experience during Mental Health Awareness Week is to open a conversation, to normalise the challenges we sometimes face in this deeply rewarding yet demanding sector. Remember, prioritising your well-being is not a sign of weakness but an act of strength. By understanding our own needs and leveraging our unique strengths, just as we strive to understand and nurture the individual strengths of the children in our care at The Old Station Nursery, we can build a more sustainable and fulfilling professional life, allowing us to continue making a real difference in the lives of young children and their families.
Kat Learner, Training and Professional Development Manager, The Old Station Nursery