Autoethnographic reflections: Countering early educator burnout and overwhelmment with emotional intelligence

Early childhood educators' work is emotionally challenging, often depleting their reserves of emotional intelligence (EI), which can lead to burnout and feeling overwhelmed. Despite this, there is little research linking the ongoing EI required to support young children and families, and the impact this has on educators' workplace flourishing. To address this gap, our autoethnographic study links the reflections of an experienced Australian educator and director (the lead author) to the literature about EI and workplace flourishing. Inductive thematic analysis revealed the impact of staffing, workplace culture, and quality of education and care provided to children, affecting their outcomes. This aligned with the literature that revealed a relationship between educators' EI and workplace flourishing. Additionally, EI has been linked to better problem solving, more cohesive social relationships and an increased capacity to understand and manage emotions effectively, all characteristics that contribute to workplace flourishing. This demonstrated the need to research educators' experiences of EI within the groups of children and families with whom they work, given that EI influences their interactions with others. Due to the high rates of attrition in the sector and the shortage of educators, this will be of interest to researchers, policymakers, and those who support educators.