In this episode of Beat Teacher Burnout, I sat down with Sam Gibbs, Lead for Curriculum and Development at the Greater Manchester Education Trust. Sam shares her deeply personal story of burnout, how it shaped her as a leader, and the work she is now doing to ensure staff feel listened to and supported.

Can I challenge you to reflect: How do our experiences of stress and overwhelm shape the way we lead and support others?

We talk about why staff wellbeing can’t be separated from personal life pressures, and how overwork even when we love our jobs can still lead to burnout. Sam takes us through the creation of her trust’s Workload Charter, co-developed with staff, and why ethical leadership is less about words on paper and more about how we treat each other every day.

In our conversation, you’ll hear how we:

• Rebuild confidence and identity after experiencing burnout.

• Set boundaries and create routines that protect wellbeing.

• Co-create a Workload Charter that adapts to staff needs and real lives.

• Embed ethical behaviours into leadership so staff feel valued and respected.

• Use listening, care, and collaboration as the foundations of school culture.

  
  

If you’ve ever felt silenced, overworked, or unsure how to rebuild after burnout, this episode offers both hope and practical strategies for shaping healthier, more human organisations.

Follow me on:

1. Instagram: ⁠@rowenaphicks⁠

2. Facebook: ⁠Rowena Hicks⁠

3. Linked In: ⁠Rowena Hicks⁠

Email me: ⁠authorrowenahicks@gmail.com⁠

Visit my website for Books, Journals, Free Community and lots of other interesting stuff: ⁠www.rowenahicks.com

In this episode of Beat Teacher Burnout, I sat down with Robbie Swale, an executive coach, author, and creator of The 12-Minute Method and The Coach’s Journey. We dive into the difference between being busy and being truly productive, and explore how to make courageous choices about where we put our time and energy.

Can I challenge you to consider: Are you busy or are you productive or both?

We talk about the myth of “finishing” all our work, how to build what Robbie calls “complexity fitness,” and why time management is really about managing our choices, attention, energy, habits, mindset, and relationships. These may be uncomfortable questions we need to ask ourselves.

We share strategies for saying no without guilt, creating space for what really matters, and making small but consistent changes that have a big impact over time.

In our conversation, you’ll hear how we:

• Shift from firefighting to working on what truly matters.

• Practise saying no and manage the fallout with grace.

• Use the six pillars of meaningful productivity to avoid burnout.

• Harness the power of just 12 minutes a week to make progress on big goals.

  
  

If you’ve ever felt like you’re drowning in busyness and want practical, human strategies to regain control, this episode will help you step off the hamster wheel and focus on what counts.

Let’s take some action and start to bring about some change!

Connect with Robbie Swale

Linked In- https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbieswale/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robbieswale/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/robbieswalecoachandauthor

Follow me on:

1. Instagram: ⁠@rowenaphicks⁠

2. Facebook: ⁠Rowena Hicks⁠

3. Linked In: ⁠Rowena Hicks⁠

Email me: ⁠authorrowenahicks@gmail.com⁠

Visit my website for Books, Journals, Free Community and lots of other interesting stuff: ⁠www.rowenahicks.com

In this episode of Beat Teacher Burnout, I sat down with Sara Rider, a head teacher who dared to reimagine school leadership and the results are transformational.

We dive into how creating a culture of trust and flexibility has reshaped her school, reduced teacher burnout, and built a staff that’s happier, more creative, and more resilient. Instead of relying on “feel-good” gestures like muffins in the staffroom, she’s built systems that give teachers time, space, and trust and the payoff has been extraordinary.

In our conversation, you’ll hear how she:

• Introduced Development Days that allow teachers to work from home, focus on professional growth, and protect their well-being.

• Built a school culture where trust replaces micromanagement, and teachers feel truly valued.

• Learned to step back as a leader, empowering her team to thrive without constant oversight.
  

If you’ve ever wondered how to reduce teacher burnout while building a thriving school culture, this episode will leave you inspired to lead differently.

Connect with Sara Rider:

Linked In:http://linkedin.com/in/sara-rider-0833b879

Follow me on:

1. Instagram: ⁠@rowenaphicks⁠

2. Facebook: ⁠Rowena Hicks⁠

3. Linked In: ⁠Rowena Hicks⁠

Email me: ⁠authorrowenahicks@gmail.com⁠

Visit my website for Books, Journals, Free Community and lots of other interesting stuff: ⁠www.rowenahicks.com