Managing Stress and Daily Responsibilities with Mrs. Joy Martel

As we’re getting closer to the holiday season, the excitement and joy are in the air, but with it can come a little bit of stress. Who would better understand managing stress and daily responsibilities than the 2024–2025 Eastern Ontario Principal of the Year, Mrs. Joy Martel! She is the principal of St. Joseph’s High School, which just so happens to be the school I attend.

To know how she balances such a busy schedule with her home life and well-being, while keeping her sanity intact after working with us high schoolers, she had some great insight to offer regarding the topic. To make time for her own health while making sure her staff and students are feeling their best, she makes sure to include family time in her weekends and stays in touch with her colleagues, even if it’s a quick check-in with them on FaceTime. She has a great support system that reminds her to stay focused and take breaks whenever work becomes challenging. By taking care of yourself, making sure your health is taken care of, only then is when can you help others. Many times, we are so busy taking care of other people that we forget about ourselves, so make sure to take time out for yourself as well.

When asked about her favourite self-care habits or routines, her answer with absolute certainty and happiness was, the students. Every morning, she greets us students at the door, beginning her day with the energy of the student body. She added on to the list with her Cafeteria Duty at lunch time, where she supervises the area to ensure everyone is safe while also enjoying the chance to interact with students
School can get hectic around this time of the year, but the number one advice Mrs. Martel had for students was to unplug as they enter their winter break. The whole year, we spend our time pushing ourselves to be better, to reach higher, and to achieve more, which is wonderful, but this doesn’t mean we don’t deserve some time off our feet to rest and unwind. Her biggest focus here was family. Family keeps you going; they’re like our backbone and are there for us no matter how hard times are. Some of her favourite things to do over the Holidays are to travel and take some time away from school. She enjoys being with her grandchildren, reconnecting with family and friends, and enjoying the outdoors with her dog.

When the conversation turned to her favourite Christmas traditions, Mrs. Martel shared, “Hmm, when I was younger, my favorite Christmas tradition was going to my grandparents, and all of our cousins would be there”. She expressed how important it is for her to continue the Christmas traditions that her family has been passing down; getting the opportunity to celebrate with your loved ones is very meaningful.
She shared how many leaders and role models in her life have guided her towards a better balance with her school duties and helped her learn how to balance her responsibilities and stay grounded. Through watching how others lead with patience, kindness, and calmness, she has gained her own sense of wisdom- wisdom that she now brings into her work every day at St. Joseph’s.

As our conversation came to an end, Mrs. Martel emphasized a message she hopes all students remember as Christmas approaches: take care of yourselves, spend time with the people who matter most, and let yourself rest. We push ourselves all year long, and the winter break is a chance to slow down, appreciate family, and enjoy the traditions that bring us joy.