Finding time for self-care can be a challenge for teachers who have busy schedules and demanding workloads. However, it is essential for you to prioritize self-care to maintain your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Here are 10 simple and effective tips for prioritizing teacher self-care.
10 Simple and Effective Tips for Prioritizing Teacher Self-Care
#1 – Schedule self-care time.
We often forget about self-care as we’re trying to take care of our students and our families. That’s why it’s so important to schedule self-care time in your daily or weekly schedule. This can involve setting aside time for activities such as exercise, meditation, or hobbies. By scheduling self-care time, you are more likely to prioritize these activities and make time for them.
#2 – Use breaks effectively.
You may not get too many breaks from your students during the school day, but a few minutes may be all you need for a quick self-care activity. While your students are at lunch or special, you could do some stretches, practice mindfulness, or enjoy a healthy snack. If you have recess duty, you could walk around the recess yard to get some exercise. By using breaks effectively, you can recharge and refocus, which can improve your productivity and overall well-being.
#3 – Set boundaries.
Setting boundaries is crucial for finding time for self-care. You need to establish clear boundaries between work and personal time to prevent burnout. This could involve setting a specific time to start and end work each day and avoiding work-related tasks during personal time. By setting boundaries, teachers can prioritize self-care and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
#4 – Prioritize tasks.
In order to prioritize self-care, you also need to prioritize your other tasks and responsibilities. Make a list of all the things you need to do this week. Identify the tasks that are essential, and add those to your schedule right away. Then, look for things you can delegate to others or postpone until another week. When you have all of your “must-do” items added to your weekly schedule, see where you have little pockets of time for self-care. Add your favorite self-care activities to your schedule now so you won’t forget to do them.
#5 – Collaborate with colleagues.
If you work on a team with other teachers, collaboration is a great way to get some time back for self-care. Find ways to divide up the work with your teammates. That way, you won’t have as much work to do, and you’ll have more time for self-care.
When my third grade team and I got a brand new math curriculum, it was pretty overwhelming. We knew we wanted to do guided math groups, but planning activities for three groups for every lesson would have taken so much time. We decided to work together and divide up the units. Each of us took 4 units and created all the guided math activities. Then, we shared everything. Working on 4 units took a lot less time than planning for all 16 units. Think of creative ways you can work with other teachers to get more work done in less time.
In addition to collaborating on school work, you can also work on self-care with your colleagues. You can organize group activities, such as exercise classes or social events, that prioritize self-care. When you involve others in your self-care journey, you are more likely to stick with it, and you’re helping other teachers get healthier, too.
#6 – Make self-care a habit.
The ultimate goal is to make self-care a habit. You should start doing the self-care activities without even thinking about it. You can do this by building exercise, healthy eating, and other self-care practices into your daily routines. Choose a time for each self-care activity, and do it at that time every day. For example, maybe you want to take a short walk before or after work. You might get up a few minutes earlier to walk before you go to school or maybe you go for your walk as soon as you get home. This will help self-care become a natural part of your daily life.
#7 – Prioritizing Teacher Self-Care with Technology
You can use technology to your advantage to find time for self-care. There are so many apps for our phones that we can really do self-care activities anytime and anywhere. You can download a mindfulness app and meditate for a few minutes during breaks at school. You could also take online workout classes to engage in physical activity at home instead of going to the gym. By using technology, you can access self-care resources and activities that fit your schedule and preferences.
#8 – Include your family in your self-care journey.
One reason I often hear that teachers don’t have time for self-care is because they want to spend any extra time they have with their families. I completely understand that, since we often spend more time with other people’s children than with our own. However, family time is the perfect time to do some self-care activities. You want the other members of your family to be healthy, too, so involve them in your exercise and healthy eating practices.
A family walk is the perfect way to spend time together and get some exercise. Work together to cook a delicious, healthy meal. Have some quiet meditation time before bedtime, and allow each person to share something they are grateful for or something good about their day. Doing these activities with your family will help you bond with them while prioritizing teacher self-care.
#9 – Add self-care to your morning.
I know the morning before heading to school might be a crazy time at your house. When my kids were little, I remember the stress of getting them both dressed, out the door, and to the babysitter before I drove myself to school for a long day of teaching. There didn’t seem to be a single second for self-care.
Then, I started getting up just 15 minutes earlier. Everyone else in the house was still asleep, and those 15 minutes of silence made a huge difference. I was able to make my tea and sit quietly without any interruptions. I used that time to think about the things I had to look forward to that day. Starting the day by thinking of something positive rather than negative made a big difference.
If you can start your day with a little bit of self-care, it can change the entire course of your day. I know some teachers like to exercise first thing in the morning so they can check it off their to-do list. Other teachers like to go to Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks to get coffee to start their day on a positive note. Find something that makes you happy first thing in the morning, and add it to your daily routine.
#10 – Don’t give up!
Life can get busy, and our self-care routine can completely fall apart. Some days there just isn’t enough time for self-care or you’re too exhausted to even think about yourself. (Remember, sleep is a form of self-care, though, so go ahead and take that nap or go to bed early.)
If you miss a few days of your self-care routine, don’t feel frustrated. Just start it again the next day. Sometimes I even give myself a break and wait until the next week to get back into my routine. On Sunday, I sit down and plan out my whole week, and I made sure to build self-care time into every day again. Then, I focus on making it a priority.
The Teacher Self-Care Community
Having other people to hold you accountable is another great way to prioritize self-care. That’s why I’m starting the Teacher Self-Care Community Facebook Group. It will be a place to share your self-care journey with other teachers.
The community will officially open on May 27th, and we’ll be doing a healthy eating challenge during the month of June. Click this link and request to join the group. I can’t wait to see you there!
What Do You Think?
What tips do you have for prioritizing teacher self-care?
Let us know in the comments.
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