Senior School
Head of Senior School - Jessica Zwarts
Acting Head Of Senior School - Neil LaRocca
Nick Orchard from The Big Refresh: Preventing Burnout
Article by Brandon Fuga, Year 12 Level Leader
On Wednesday 6 May our Year 12 Students had the privilege of welcoming Nick Orchard from The Big Refresh focusing on preventing burnout during their final year.
Nick explored the idea that we do not need to sacrifice feeling like our best selves, push through exhaustion, or constantly experience stress in order to achieve strong results. Instead, he encouraged students to think beyond calendars, to-do lists and productivity apps, and to focus on managing our energy as carefully as we manage our time. Drawing on the work of Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz, the session highlighted that while time is fixed, energy fluctuates and is one of our greatest resources.
Nick explained how small, regular moments of rest and recovery can improve focus, clarity and sustainable performance across four key areas:
Relational Energy
Physical Energy
Emotional Energy
Mental Energy
Students were also introduced to “Control Circles”, a practical strategy for managing stress by focusing on what we can control, influence and accept. The session concluded with a powerful reflection on personal growth: What is one thing we will stop, one thing we will start, and one thing we will remind ourselves every day?
“I enjoyed The Big Refresh with Nick. He was so engaging and gave everyone the opportunity to share their thoughts, which I thought was really valuable. It was great to see everyone get involved and understand that, with the right strategies, we can all do well in our final year of school.”
- Alannah
“It was amazing to listen to what Nick had to say and his tips for success. His story really opened my eyes to the impact of burnout and stress.”
- Bryce
Thank you to our Senior School staff who assisted with this valuable, timely and engaging session. We look forward to our SS Media Club putting a collection of Year 12 reflections together as a montage to share with the school community.
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