Why It’s So Hard for Teachers to Take Care of Themselves (and 4 Ways to Start)
While scrolling through my favorite blog, Cult of Pedagogy, I came across an article titled, "Why It's So Hard for Teachers to Take of Themselves (and 4 Ways to Start." As the 3rd trimester is just beginning, it is becoming harder and harder for me to find time for myself. I feel most teachers, especially around this time of year, are experiencing similar feelings. We work too many hours, don't get enough sleep or exercise, eat too many unhealthy foods, and don't spend enough time doing things that refresh and energize you. I feel many of us have come to the conclusion that this lifestyle is just how it's going to be. Summer will be here soon enough. Unfortunately, this is not a great mindset. Teaching is a high-stress career. Good news is that it doesn't have to be this way. Throughout, Jennifer Gonzalez's post, she mentions 4 simple ways to take care of ourselves each day:
1. Build in a rest as a catalyst for productivity, not a break from it.
View rest as a way that is an essential tool for productivity. It doesn't necessarily mean take an hour-long nap in the afternoon. It could just be turning off he lights in your classroom for a few minutes after dismissal. Or instead of spending time scrolling through social media, substitute that time with just silences and stillness. This can make a huge difference in your energy levels.
2. Streamline your schedule by doing fewer things, better.
Self-care can’t just be one more thing you add to your plate. You have to eliminate things that are not the best and highest use of your time. Instead of trying to fit in as many things as possible think about things you can let go of to create space for your higher priority of self-care. Also, don't be afraid to say no if someone asks you to do something when you know you don't have enough time on your plate.
3. Pair a self-care habit with your regular routine so it becomes automatic.
This is a really powerful principle that is based heavily on neuroscience. This idea that you can pair a new habit with an existing habit to make it easier to lock that new habit into place. Look for something that you already do automatically, and integrate self-care into that.
Gonzalez states, "So when you get in the car in the morning, you put on your favorite song that uplifts and inspires you. Do the same thing, time after time, and it will create this almost Pavlovian kind of response, where as soon as you finish cleaning up dinner, you crave that nice hot bath, or as soon as the kids leave the classroom at the end of the day, you’re craving that 60 seconds of deep breathing to just clear your head and to energize yourself for the rest of the day’s tasks."
4. Focus on the habit of the habit: value right actions over right results.
New habits are really easy to skip because they’re not well-established, so it’s essential that you prioritize creating and sticking to a habit if you want your self-care to become a regular part of your life.
I hope some of you find this blog useful during the last few months of school!