Can Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Help Us Find Balance in Our Daily Roles?

We all play multiple roles in our daily lives, such as family members, friends, students, teachers, and employees. We may lose sight of how to fully support one another. It's essential to recognize that we must have our basic needs met before we can fully engage in any situation. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is a helpful framework for understanding this concept.

This theory is so important to me that I named one of my cats Maslow.

Maslow was 5 years old when he was diagnosed with Lymphoma. He passed away when he was 6. We miss him dearly.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Imagine you are a teacher, and a student enters your class appearing disengaged, uninterested, and irritable. What you don't know is that they stayed up late in their room while their parents fought, woke up late to an empty house, and didn't eat breakfast before rushing to the bus stop. This tired, worried, hungry, and lonely student walked into your classroom.

There are several ways you could respond to this student. You could ignore them, assuming it was just typical teenage behavior. Alternatively, you could take offense and become defensive, considering that you stayed up late and arrived early to perfect your lesson.

However, the best option is to respond with compassion and connection, allowing the student an opportunity to open up. Imagine you choose the compassionate approach. You explore ways to help them. While you can’t let them nap in class, you could offer them a snack from the stash donated by the PTA (if you're on the PTA and/or a parent who is able to donate snacks to the school/classroom it is a great help!) and make time to listen to them. You can also encourage them to talk to the school counselor. Furthermore, you have the option to ease their workload by giving them an extension on homework and arranging for someone to share their notes, understanding that they may not be able to focus fully in class that day.

Take time to explain to your students how much you care about their well-being and education, ensuring that each lesson is crafted with their individual needs in mind.

I encourage you to embrace this theory every day. Challenge your thinking and expand your mindset to consider possibilities beyond your initial judgments. Apply this theory to yourself to enhance your self-advocacy by gaining a clearer understanding of who you are and how to communicate that to others.

Share how you practice Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs in the comments!