Taking Care of Teacher

    Teachers are SO good at and prepared to take care of others. It's a huge part of our job and comes naturally to many of us. Oftentimes and especially in these crazy times, we take care of others before ourselves and sometimes at the expense of ourselves. Educators are in a profession where so much is expected - teach and guide our children, provide them an engaging classroom (at your own expense), know and use best practices and new innovative strategies for reaching ALL learners, protect your students at all costs, watch out for warning signs, stay late for meetings, answer parent emails.....the list could literally go on for pages. 

We owe it to ourselves to put on our own oxygen mask FIRST. 

    How can we effectively teach students to take care of their own mental health while we disregard our own? We can't. How can we support our kids through life transitions if we ourselves are in crisis? We can't. How can we teach them to navigate 2020 when we are utterly lost? We can't. 

    In this post, I will share some self-care teacher tips I have learned through the years that have helped me get through transition periods in my own life (getting married, having babies) and getting through difficult career challenges (student behaviors that left me in tears daily, unsupportive administrators, and trying parents). 

Self Care Tip #1 - Nurture and Maintain Positive Relationships

    Call your Mama on a regular basis. Go out on dates with your partner and try not to talk about work the whole time. Meet up with friends for Happy Hour. Eat dinner with your kids and talk about their day. Nurture relationships with people who fill you up and let go of relationships with people who tear you down. 

Self Care Tip #2 - Set Clear Boundaries and Hold Yourself to Them

    When I first started teaching, I wanted my parents to know I was ALWAYS there for them and our students. One night I received a not-so-friendly email from a parent addressed to me and my principal. I was sick over it all night and got zero sleep because I was so upset. The next morning it was completely smoothed over by my awesome principal before I even had the chance to speak to him. I literally worried about it all night for nothing! After that I knew I had to stop answering emails as soon as my phone pinged. I had to set and uphold boundaries for myself and once I made that change I was no longer fielding needy parents or thinking about work all night.

    My tip is to STOP reading and answering emails after work is over. It can wait until the next morning. Quiet your parent messaging systems using quiet hour settings or removing the app from your phone. Set and keep your own boundaries. Your sanity and your family will thank you for it!

Self Care Tip #3 - Make Lists!

    Physically write and use to-do lists to manage your time efficiently and celebrate every time you scratch through an item. 

    List what you are thankful for each day. I like to include my students and add to a class list we've made together during Morning Meeting.

    List goals you have for yourself and for your students. Celebrate progress. 

    Make a growing list of all hilarious things your students say or do! Read them back to your students at the end of the year.

Self Care Tip #4 - Pick a Hobby

    Find a hobby that has nothing to do with teaching. Move your body in a way you actually enjoy. Set time for yourself doing something that brings you joy. 

   

    Over the years the thing that brings me joy has changed. First, it was running and training for marathons. For a while it was binge-watching shows with my new (at the time) husband. Currently, I've been learning about essential oils with recipe boxes from Simply Earth (Try it out and get 50% off with my code - RACHELS5010) and I'm also completing an awesome 12 week workout program on Youtube by Heather Robertson. 

Self Care Tip #5 - Do One Thing for You Every Day

    Call a friend. 

    Take a bath.

    Sleep in on the weekends.

    Treat yourself to Starbucks on Friday mornings.

    Read a book.

    Watch your favorite show.

    Go for a walk.

    Sit in silence for 10 minutes.

    Take up gardening. 

Self Care Tip #6 - Vent, Cry, Know that You are Enough

    There are going to be days that all the self-care in the world can't fix. Say what your feeling out loud to someone who love or to yourself. Have a good cry but not for too long. Wash your face. Remind yourself that you are enough, you are loved, and you can handle hard things. Pick yourself up and get right back to it.