As documented earlier this year on Tes, there is a lot of pent-up movement in the school sector about to take place - both domestically and internationally, too - as teachers look to re-energise their careers after two years of major disruption.

It’s no surprise this meant people sat tight in their roles as they looked to see how the situation unfolded - but clearly now people are ready for new adventures at a new school, and possibly even in a new country.

It’s an exciting time but also one of great change that can feel overwhelming at times. As such, it’s important to make sure you pace yourself and appreciate that starting a new job can come with its own challenges that need to be prepared for.

Here are 6 strategies to manage change as you prepare to find your wings in your new role:

1. Take a moment to breathe

You made the change for good reasons. Be kind to yourself and remember change does feel uncomfortable to begin with.

Having known the answers or being capable and doing tasks quickly and confidently at your past school to suddenly having feelings of frustration or vulnerability again can be hard - even down to having to adapt to a new morning routine.

This can be scary but just take a moment to reflect on how far you came in your past role and that they chose you for good reason for this new job, too. So appreciate it may take time for this new environment to become your new normal - but trust that it will be soon enough.

2. Keep a positive mindset

Following on from this, it’s important to remember we are all always learning. After all, we encourage our students to step outside their comfort zones and try new things so we need to make sure we follow this advice, too.

Be curious and ask questions to show yourself and your colleagues your commitment and willingness to think differently and learn. Be ready to change your perspective, and have an open mind to do things differently from how you’ve done them before. Overall, remain optimistic and embrace the change.

3. Tips for managing information overload

New colleague’s names, discovering who is responsible for what, familiarising yourself with new routines and systems, and finding out the location of everything - there’s a lot to learn with a new role.

But finding this out proactively is key to making life easier. Endeavour to find the key people you need to know: HR, IT and your line manager, of course.

Your HR team will be essential to your settling in, and becoming friends with IT. IT will sort anything technical for you from setting forgotten passwords to saving you in front of your class when the projector won’t work! Your line manager is ready for all the questions to help you feel more comfortable.

Another good idea can be to print a miniature timetable and stick it to your lanyard to get to grips with where you need to be and the timings of your day.

Stick a staff telephone list for quick communication channels and a calendar above your desk, and jot down your photocopy code somewhere secret.

4. Celebrate the small wins

A new role with more or new responsibility, a new school or a new destination (or all of these) will bring small and big challenges, both professionally and personally.

As such, while you will be working towards big picture goals and achievements, it is also important to reward yourself with the incremental accomplishments you make along the way.

Pay attention to the present moment, and remember that, as cheesy as it may sound, the journey is as important as the end goal. So celebrate the small wins, and the sense of gratitude and enjoyment they bring.

5. Look after yourself

In a new role, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and therefore out of control. But it’s important you start right in not just how you take on your new role but how you look after yourself, too.

As such, although school is, of course, always busy, try and make time in your calendar for weekly reflection time, drop by the staff room to have a coffee and chat with new colleagues and try and leave at a respectful time that shows you have a strong work-home boundary.

Indeed, a good work-life balance is vital for our wellbeing, so if your exercise routine has shifted then find what works for you in your new setup. While at work, keeping hydrated, eating healthily and getting enough sleep to function effectively and feel good are key and, as a result, you’ll stay more focused and more motivated.

6. What is your why?

It’s likely you’ve moved for a number of reasons. Perhaps for a new challenge, a higher salary, career growth, to follow your values, a promotion or to relocate for new opportunities - or a mix of all of this.

When you can’t see the wood through the trees, though, you may miss the old times, old colleagues, the old ways of doing things, and the old routines, when it was easy… but remember your “why” and stick to what you know you are trying to achieve.

Liz Cloke is the regional head of learning, Malaysia, for International Schools Partnership. She tweets @misscloke