Here's an interesting observation... it appears like wine and drinking oneself into oblivion seems to be a common coping mechanism for teachers!? Check out some of these memes...
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EEEK!? Now, I'm not completely devoid of humour, don't worry... I can see the funny side and get that some of these memes are amusing! I certainly know that teaching is incredibly stressful... But, there's a part of me that is a little alarmed at just how many memes there are out there about teachers drowning themselves with alcohol in order to cope with the stress; it must mean there is an element of truth to it, right?
Not to get all "teachery" on you, but I care about your well-being so I'm going to say this! The odd tipple here and there is totally fine for most people, so generally it's not likely to be a big problem, but obviously alcohol is not an effective long term solution to teacher stress.
According to DrinkAware.co.uk: "while alcohol may help deal with stress in the short term, in the long run it can contribute to feelings of depression and anxiety and make stress harder to deal with."
That's pretty serious. The last thing you need to be doing is making your stress worse in the long run, so all funny memes aside, if you're genuinely looking to live a healthy lifestyle and would like some better alternatives to wine to help you handle the stress of teaching, try out some of these ideas!
Not to get all "teachery" on you, but I care about your well-being so I'm going to say this! The odd tipple here and there is totally fine for most people, so generally it's not likely to be a big problem, but obviously alcohol is not an effective long term solution to teacher stress.
According to DrinkAware.co.uk: "while alcohol may help deal with stress in the short term, in the long run it can contribute to feelings of depression and anxiety and make stress harder to deal with."
That's pretty serious. The last thing you need to be doing is making your stress worse in the long run, so all funny memes aside, if you're genuinely looking to live a healthy lifestyle and would like some better alternatives to wine to help you handle the stress of teaching, try out some of these ideas!
1) Yoga
If you've never tried it, it's very simple (and no, it does not involve tangling yourself up in pretzel positions while humming!). It's literally just stretching with some controlled breathing to relax the mind and body. Look up some YouTube videos on Yoga for beginners if you'd like some guidance to get started. Honestly, doing a few minutes of relaxing stretching and deep breathing at any point during the day will make you feel so much calmer and it's great for toning your muscles too, bonus! You can even do desk yoga while you're at lunch for a mid-day boost!
2) Face mask
This is just nice for a pamper night if you can fit it in! Any face mask is nice, but I do have a holy grail that you can really feel working! It's made from completely natural clay and I kid you not, it actually feels like someone is massaging your face, it's insane! Bonus points for its beauty benefits in helping clear your skin, keep you looking fresh and improving circulation! Here are some Amazon affiliate links for Amazon [US] or Amazon [UK] for you to check it out and get your own - the mask is great value and last absolutely ages!
3) Calming music / sounds
Whatever floats your boat with this one. It can be music, or it can be rain, fire, thunder, wind, the ocean... whatever makes you actually feel calm will do the trick! I do this sometimes during my prep lesson or during lunch if I am having a particularly rough day... I tend to use head phones so as not to draw unnecessary attention to myself!
4) 7) Essential oils
I love essential oils and I use a diffuser so I can breathe them in! You can find oils for all kinds of things, for example there are oils for stress, anxiety, sickness, body aches, fatigue, focus etc. I've previously blogged about how I use them to prevent germs spreading in my classroom if you want to read it!
There are lots of oil diffusers you can choose from! Check out these affiliate links to see the Amazon range of oil diffusers in either the Amazon [US] or Amazon [UK] stores!
5) Going for a walk
Again, another one that can be done during the day or outside of school but will still be beneficial for stress. I know a lot of colleagues in my school do this as I've checked the signing out book and I see a lot do write that they've gone out for a walk for 15 minutes or so! It's great for getting blood pumping, clearing your mind and having a change of scenery. If you can't leave the site, just go for a stroll around the playground or the building, it's better than nothing!
6) Exercise
Linked to the previous point, getting the blood pumping will really help burn off that extra stress you're feeling. It's the old adage of "fight or flight". Either way, stress is causing your body to need to move. If you don't get active, the adrenaline will come out of your body in other ways such as headaches, sickness or anxiety, so try and get moving!
7) Reading a non-teacher related book!
Reading about things NOT related to your job is really important as it can help give you a form of escapism and help develop your imagination! That's why books are better than movies sometimes: the stories last longer and you have to create the visual in your mind. So, take your mind off your own problems and give it a rest with a good book.
The great thing about most of these, is that they can all be done in the same amount of time it takes to down a glass of wine, and some can even be done at school (which trumps the wine option, haha!). But more importantly, these ways will mean your mind, body and soul will love you for it much more.
If you've never tried it, it's very simple (and no, it does not involve tangling yourself up in pretzel positions while humming!). It's literally just stretching with some controlled breathing to relax the mind and body. Look up some YouTube videos on Yoga for beginners if you'd like some guidance to get started. Honestly, doing a few minutes of relaxing stretching and deep breathing at any point during the day will make you feel so much calmer and it's great for toning your muscles too, bonus! You can even do desk yoga while you're at lunch for a mid-day boost!
2) Face mask
This is just nice for a pamper night if you can fit it in! Any face mask is nice, but I do have a holy grail that you can really feel working! It's made from completely natural clay and I kid you not, it actually feels like someone is massaging your face, it's insane! Bonus points for its beauty benefits in helping clear your skin, keep you looking fresh and improving circulation! Here are some Amazon affiliate links for Amazon [US] or Amazon [UK] for you to check it out and get your own - the mask is great value and last absolutely ages!
3) Calming music / sounds
Whatever floats your boat with this one. It can be music, or it can be rain, fire, thunder, wind, the ocean... whatever makes you actually feel calm will do the trick! I do this sometimes during my prep lesson or during lunch if I am having a particularly rough day... I tend to use head phones so as not to draw unnecessary attention to myself!
4) 7) Essential oils
I love essential oils and I use a diffuser so I can breathe them in! You can find oils for all kinds of things, for example there are oils for stress, anxiety, sickness, body aches, fatigue, focus etc. I've previously blogged about how I use them to prevent germs spreading in my classroom if you want to read it!
There are lots of oil diffusers you can choose from! Check out these affiliate links to see the Amazon range of oil diffusers in either the Amazon [US] or Amazon [UK] stores!
5) Going for a walk
Again, another one that can be done during the day or outside of school but will still be beneficial for stress. I know a lot of colleagues in my school do this as I've checked the signing out book and I see a lot do write that they've gone out for a walk for 15 minutes or so! It's great for getting blood pumping, clearing your mind and having a change of scenery. If you can't leave the site, just go for a stroll around the playground or the building, it's better than nothing!
6) Exercise
Linked to the previous point, getting the blood pumping will really help burn off that extra stress you're feeling. It's the old adage of "fight or flight". Either way, stress is causing your body to need to move. If you don't get active, the adrenaline will come out of your body in other ways such as headaches, sickness or anxiety, so try and get moving!
7) Reading a non-teacher related book!
Reading about things NOT related to your job is really important as it can help give you a form of escapism and help develop your imagination! That's why books are better than movies sometimes: the stories last longer and you have to create the visual in your mind. So, take your mind off your own problems and give it a rest with a good book.
The great thing about most of these, is that they can all be done in the same amount of time it takes to down a glass of wine, and some can even be done at school (which trumps the wine option, haha!). But more importantly, these ways will mean your mind, body and soul will love you for it much more.
So stay healthy, happy and strong. Teaching is a tough job and you need to look after yourself to be the best version of yourself that you can be! What healthy ways do you like to handle teacher stress? Leave some ideas for us below!
