We’ve all heard it: teaching is an incredibly rewarding, but incredibly difficult profession, and we need to practice self-care to avoid burnout. However, we all know that that’s more easily said than done. Fitting self-care into our personal time can feel like yet another task to accomplish! So, instead of the traditional list suggesting bubble baths and yoga (although those are wonderful pursuits!), this list encompasses self-care strategies that are easily woven into the workday or serve as reminders that we, as teachers, are human too!
1. Boundaries
Setting work-life boundaries from the get-go are essential for teachers. As you begin each year, be sure to clearly communicate, to coworkers and families, your boundaries for answering emails and turn-around time on tasks. A healthy work environment will support you back.
Learn More: The Simple Classroom
2. Work Apps
To help maintain those work/life boundaries you’ve set, take work apps off your phone or use your settings to prevent notifications during personal time. This will help you avoid the temptation to just quickly answer that email during family dinner.
Learn More: Healthy Happy Teacher
3. Take Your Sick Days
This one is simple and sweet: take your sick days! You have them for a reason. Have a set of basic sub plans (or purchase some from Teachers Pay Teachers) and don’t look at your phone. Taking a sick day means you’re resting and not working, period.
Learn More: The Simple Classroom
4. Friluftsliv
The Nordic concept of friluftsliv emphasizes the importance of getting outdoors on a daily basis; for both mental and emotional well-being in addition to physical health. Time in nature is an excellent self-care practice; you can go solo, with friends or family, and in all kinds of weather!
Learn More: Rainbow Sky Creations
5. Soft Lighting
An easy method of monitoring your stress and anxiety level for the day is to turn down the classroom lights when things get chaotic. Soft lighting can bring down the energy and voice levels in the classroom; creating space for your mind to quiet itself as well.
Learn More: B Like Bianca
6. Personalized Workspace
Bring a little hygge into your classroom- you spend eight hours a day there, and it should be reflective of your personal tastes! This could look like putting some plants by your window, tucking a blanket under your desk for a comfier plan time, or bringing in a personal coffee machine!
Learn More: Teach Smart with Me
7. Background Tunes
If you’re a music-lover, bring your taste into the classroom- within reason, of course. There are tons of playlists out there with kid-friendly or instrumental-only versions of popular genres. Put them on in the background during centers for everyone’s enjoyment; yours included!
Learn More: The Trendy Science Teacher
8. Mindful Minutes
Building time for mindfulness practices can be an easy addition to your self-care plan! Children and adults both need time to reset for the betterment of their emotional health. Check out GoNoodle’s Flow, Empower Tools, and Think About It channels for ideas!
Learn More: Simply Imperfect Counselor and GoNoodle
9. Reject Perfectionism
Most educators remember the stress they felt in their first years of teaching- writing detailed lesson plans and feeling the pain of the lessons still not going well. Over time, you begin to see that perfection isn’t possible; and that is totally okay! Having reasonable expectations is healthier anyway.
Learn More: Teaching in the Fast Lane
10. Find a Supporter
It’s easy for anyone to get sucked into negativity when work feels tough. While everyone needs to vent, it’s also important to find someone to share the silly stories and your successes with. Find someone at work who can celebrate alongside you!
Learn More: Teach Smart with Me
11. Top 3
Teachers could make a never-ending list of things to accomplish each week; looking at everything on your plate quickly becomes overwhelming. Instead of listing out every single task, try identifying the three most pressing needs each day, and then make a plan for how you will complete them!
Learn More: ASCD
12. Get Some Sleep
A rested person makes a happier, more patient, and enthusiastic educator! Make sure that you’re striving to create an environment and schedule that prioritizes your sleep. In order to shorten your morning routine and catch some extra Zzzs, prepare the things you need to take along to work the night before.
Learn More: A Word on Third
13. Look to the Future
Teachers are cheerleaders for their students; we want to set them up for bright futures. We need to do the same for ourselves- whether that is the long-term goal of taking care of a retirement account or paying off debt, or shorter-term aims like planning a needed vacation!
Learn More: Teaching in the Fast Lane
14. No Weekend Work
Again, your personal time is your personal time. Tell yourself now: your weekend is yours! It’s a time for fun activities with family and friends, bubble baths, reading, exercise or rest, and eating yummy food. Work is a Monday morning task.
Learn More: The Pathway 2 Success
15. Weekly Self-Care Ritual
Be it a Sunday reset or a general plan for “me time”, creating a weekly self-care ritual is especially useful in warding off the “Sunday Scaries”. Whatever calms you, recharges you, or fills your cup- be sure to make time for yourself. It’s incredibly worth it!
Learn More: Rainbow Sky Creations
16. Mindfulness Apps
Spending a period of time each day doing mindfulness activities or practicing meditation can have a myriad of benefits for your mental and emotional health. Check out apps like Headspace or Calm, which include short emotional learning modules and meditations that can apply to multiple, stress- or anxiety-evoking life situations.
Learn More: Class Tech Tips
17. Road Trip
Going for a peaceful, pensive drive is a great way to clear your head or spend time recharging your cognitive energy. Pull over to see the local sights, watch a beautiful sunset, or listen to an audiobook or podcast along the way.
Learn More: The Counseling Teacher
18. Social Media Break
While social media is a great way to connect with loved ones, it can also be an unhealthy environment of comparison and mean-spirited keyboard warriors. Try setting a schedule for when you will set your phone aside and give social media a break in favor of better, real-world connections and pursuits.
Learn More: The Counseling Teacher
19. Meal Prep
Lunch is often a hurried affair in school buildings. Finding simple, easy lunches and snacks to bring along is imperative in making sure you are caring for your health during the school day! Gone are the days of skipping meals out of forgetfulness or eating a handful of Goldfish crackers for lunch. Try these meal prep ideas instead!
Learn More: Healthy Happy Teacher
20. 52 Lists
The 52 Lists series is a great way to dive into journaling if you struggle without a prompt. With options focusing on calm, happiness, and general reflection, these weekly diaries are sure to get you writing! Add entries while enjoying a cup of coffee in a cozy spot or while you’re snuggled up in bed!
Learn More: The 52 Lists Project
21. GLAD Journaling
Another journal prompt for those who need a bit of structure in their self-care routine is GLAD journaling. This writing activity encourages you to write down one thing each day that you are grateful for, have learned, have accomplished, and that delighted you. It’s quick and easy but promotes positive reflection!
Learn More: Psychology Today
22. Self-Care Crossword Puzzle Ideas
If you’re looking for a new self-care routine but aren’t sure where to start, pick an idea from this fun self-care crossword puzzle! Pick whichever of the 22 ideas you find first to try out! The best part is, working on the puzzle itself can be a self-care activity!
Learn More: TheOGVegan Etsy
23. Monthly Checklist
If you’re interested in self-care but finding it difficult to create space in your current schedule, start with this monthly idea list to begin to see the incredible impact of these practices on your mental health and day-to-day life. Set your own goals and check off each task as you accomplish them!
Learn More: Lit in Focus
24. Self-Care Bingo
Almost anyone can be motivated by a Bingo board! Use this pre-made board or make your own with creative seasonal self-care ideas to ensure your practices span the entire year! Using these boards with your coworkers can help you get through those dragging parts of the school year.
Learn More: Teacher2Teacher
25. 30-Day Challenge
Show yourself some extra love and care with a 30-day challenge! The daily ideas can help with motivation and include a mix of more practical items; like home organization, to more mindful practices like writing positive affirmations for yourself. Print the list and put it somewhere conspicuous!
Learn More: Simply Imperfect Counselor
26. Self-Care Freebie
Grab this entire self-care freebie to get started on your self-care journey! The kit includes resources like daily, weekly, and monthly planners that help you choose self-care practices that you can easily work into your routines, as well as a self-care calendar with different ideas to try.
Learn More: Crayon Lane Teach
27. Advocate For What You Need
Whether your district needs more social workers, counselors, assistants, teachers, or supplies, advocating for what you need can be an empowering experience and act of self-care. You can advocate with school administration, at school board meetings, at district offices, or up to the state legislature!
Learn More: EdWeek
28. Go Where You’re Valued
No amount of self-care can permanently change the outcome of an unhealthy work environment. One of the toughest but most important self-care actions you can take is finding a school that values you as a professional and a person. When you find one, you will know.
Learn More: B Like Bianca
35 Promising Popcorn Activity Ideas For Kids