Time to clock out!
Kiki Todman
No one ever really tells you in the world of mentorship to clock out, so why on earth am I saying it? What does it mean to “clock out” as a mentor?
Mentorship affects more than just one person. Mentorship is about creating a connection, dialogue and a safe space between individuals or a group. When you’re in mentorship, you are in it 100% and you have to be intentional. You are, by definition, clocked in. You’re present, you are there, and you care an awful lot but what if I tell you it is okay to sometimes clock out? Would you believe me?
The answer is, probably not. Clocking out seems like you’re checking out of the relationship and that you’re simply stopping all intentions. However, in this case, clocking out is meant for you to breathe. Often times as mentors we take on a lot, and it’s because we care so much about who we’re working with that we forget about ourselves and our wellbeing’s in order to be fully present for our mentees. But I ask you, if you are fully present for them, who is present for you?
Eleanor Brown once said, “Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” What this means is that it’s okay to take some time for you. It is so imperative that you make sure that you’re in a good place to be fully intentional and try to breathe when things become too much. As mentors we all have such big hearts and as I’ve highlighted before we all care A LOT but remember to take care of yourself and clock out when you need to. Children pick up on things that are wrong, and they know when your energy isn’t 100% there, so why give them 50% when you could be giving them 100%?
Below are some videos that speak on the importance of self care!