As we know, teaching is an incredibly demanding job that if you let it, can completely consume you - your work is never done and that is a hard notion to come to terms with sometimes! Therefore, you need to actively take steps to ensure that you are taking care of your health - physically, emotionally and mentally.
Here are some actionable steps that you can take this week to improve your own well-being:
1. Leave school on time a few days this week.
Just getting those few extra hours at home can make all the difference, especially if your day has felt "extra long", you know the ones...!
2. Get as much of your admin tasks done in the mornings.
Your mind is obviously a lot fresher in the morning before all the craziness begins, and so it goes without saying that that is the best time of the day to get all the heavy thinking done! I don't know about you, but after that last lesson at the end of the day my mind is totally fried and no one is going to get much out of me at that point!
3. Have a hot bath when you get home.
Ahh, there's not much a hot bath can't fix! If you're able to, try and have a few moments alone in a nice pool of hot bubbly water and just let your muscles and mind relax!
4. Get an early night or at least keep your bed time consistent.
Getting your body in a consistent routine will really help with a better night's sleep and improved energy levels throughout the day.
5. Think of 3 things you're grateful for every morning.
You can't feel grateful and negative at the same time, it's impossible. That's why gratitude is so, so important. Try and make it a habit that right when you wake up, or when you're brushing your teeth, or making breakfast etc. come up with 3 or more things you are grateful for each day (and try and make them different things every day too so you're really having to think and reflect on your gratitude).
6. Make sure you stop for lunch during the day.
Seriously, eat something. Your food is fuel and you need to make sure you have enough in your tank to get you through the whole rest of the day!
7. Go off site at lunch to get a change of scenery.
There's something that can be said about having a change of scenery, especially on those days where you just feel drained from too much social interaction! I do try and force myself to go to the staffroom every now and then to check my pigeon hole, but that's not always great as often I get stopped by staff for a "chat", which doesn't help when I need to wind down! Instead, try going out for some lunch or just go for a quick walk down the street. The fresh air, change of scenery and silence can do wonders!
8. Do some exercise or some light stretching.
Keep your body moving - it helps with energy levels throughout the day and the stretches are great for resetting your posture, especially if you've been hunching over students or have been sitting in awkward positions all day!
9. Massage yourself - you can do your own shoulders and feet!
There's nothing like a nice massage, and the good news is that you don't need someone else to do it for you! Just while you're winding down (or I've sometimes done this at school on those rougher days) you can take off your shoes and give your feet a nice rub. Massage your way round the heel, ball and sole of your feet and feel the heaviness melt away! It's even easier to give your neck and shoulders a massage yourself at any moment in time and it can really help relax the tension!
10. Bring some treats in for your colleagues and make everyone smile!
Finally, the people you work closely with play an important role in your own well-being too as you feed off of each others' energy. So make sure everyone is feeling happy and harmonious by bringing in some yummy treats every now and then, and enjoy bonding over some tea and cakes at break time!
1. Leave school on time a few days this week.
Just getting those few extra hours at home can make all the difference, especially if your day has felt "extra long", you know the ones...!
2. Get as much of your admin tasks done in the mornings.
Your mind is obviously a lot fresher in the morning before all the craziness begins, and so it goes without saying that that is the best time of the day to get all the heavy thinking done! I don't know about you, but after that last lesson at the end of the day my mind is totally fried and no one is going to get much out of me at that point!
3. Have a hot bath when you get home.
Ahh, there's not much a hot bath can't fix! If you're able to, try and have a few moments alone in a nice pool of hot bubbly water and just let your muscles and mind relax!
4. Get an early night or at least keep your bed time consistent.
Getting your body in a consistent routine will really help with a better night's sleep and improved energy levels throughout the day.
5. Think of 3 things you're grateful for every morning.
You can't feel grateful and negative at the same time, it's impossible. That's why gratitude is so, so important. Try and make it a habit that right when you wake up, or when you're brushing your teeth, or making breakfast etc. come up with 3 or more things you are grateful for each day (and try and make them different things every day too so you're really having to think and reflect on your gratitude).
6. Make sure you stop for lunch during the day.
Seriously, eat something. Your food is fuel and you need to make sure you have enough in your tank to get you through the whole rest of the day!
7. Go off site at lunch to get a change of scenery.
There's something that can be said about having a change of scenery, especially on those days where you just feel drained from too much social interaction! I do try and force myself to go to the staffroom every now and then to check my pigeon hole, but that's not always great as often I get stopped by staff for a "chat", which doesn't help when I need to wind down! Instead, try going out for some lunch or just go for a quick walk down the street. The fresh air, change of scenery and silence can do wonders!
8. Do some exercise or some light stretching.
Keep your body moving - it helps with energy levels throughout the day and the stretches are great for resetting your posture, especially if you've been hunching over students or have been sitting in awkward positions all day!
9. Massage yourself - you can do your own shoulders and feet!
There's nothing like a nice massage, and the good news is that you don't need someone else to do it for you! Just while you're winding down (or I've sometimes done this at school on those rougher days) you can take off your shoes and give your feet a nice rub. Massage your way round the heel, ball and sole of your feet and feel the heaviness melt away! It's even easier to give your neck and shoulders a massage yourself at any moment in time and it can really help relax the tension!
10. Bring some treats in for your colleagues and make everyone smile!
Finally, the people you work closely with play an important role in your own well-being too as you feed off of each others' energy. So make sure everyone is feeling happy and harmonious by bringing in some yummy treats every now and then, and enjoy bonding over some tea and cakes at break time!
A bonus point - you can always access a continuously updated board of various ideas for teacher well-being on this Pinterest board which you're welcome to follow too!
What other ways do you like to wind down and show yourself some self-love? Share your favourite ideas in the comments below!
What other ways do you like to wind down and show yourself some self-love? Share your favourite ideas in the comments below!
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