Teachers generally have a difficult time with self-care. I think it's in our DNA to put others first and deplete ourselves in order to take care of others. I'm here to tell you that self-care for teachers isn't an option, it's a necessity! Check out these easy to implement strategies to use on a budget!
1. Meditation
My latest self-care strategy is meditation. Meditation use to be a word that I never saw a need for. I really never saw myself doing it. You're probably going to hear this from me a lot but man was I wrong.. I use to think of meditation as a time where I sat with my legs crossed, humming with my hands in a “zen” position.. But I literally laugh now when I think about how silly that was. I hadn't had any real experience with meditating until I tried a form of pranic healing. (Once again, something I never thought I would ever try..) In order for it to work, you have to sit in a completely relaxed state and meditate for around 30 minutes.
Do you know how much I could have gotten done in that 30 minutes?! That's what old me would have thought. In reality, I had never been so relaxed! It does take some mindfulness and techniques to meditate for long periods of time but I honestly just kept repeating to myself, breathe in.. breathe out.. Afterward, I thought, why don't I spend smaller amounts of time meditating more often? It's rather liberating being able to completely free your mind of the stress and thoughts that normally race through it. If you haven't, give it a try! Even if it's only for a few minutes each day.
If you're unsure about meditation, my friend- Ashley from Pencils and Playgrounds has a post just for you! You can find it here. She breaks down 5 common myths about meditating.
2. Read for Fun
I grew up having a very strong dislike for reading. It turns out, I didn't have a purpose for reading. It took me a very long time to find books that I loved and didn't want to immediately abandon. You find read all about my reading journey here. After college, I spent a lot of time reading just for fun. I hate to admit it but I would actually turn down substitute teaching jobs to get my self-care in I was into a good book. Once I had kids, I did a lot of reading too- picture book reading that is.. but I quit making time for myself to read. In the past 4 months, I have made sure that I schedule time to read books I enjoy.
Lately, I have been loving any books that motivate me to keep hustling and developing skills to become a boss mom, teacher and business owner. Plus, I realized that it's amazing for my girls to see me reading for fun as it sets the stage for them to read themselves as they get older. Needless to say, I'm a huge advocate of reading for fun, even if you are like me and have to schedule time to do it so your brain doesn't trick you into inevitably avoiding it.
3. Schedule Down Time
This is probably the hardest thing for me to do. I use to have this “cycle of motivation” as I refer to it. I would go months where I worked like crazy, hardly did anything for myself and then would find myself completely overwhelmed and spend the next month or two being completely lazy. It was a vicious cycle and let me tell you, it was hard to break.
I couldn't be more thrilled to tell you- it's possible to break that cycle! I'm living proof. It wasn't until I started focusing on self-care for teachers that I began Itaking more time for myself in the past few months than I have in a very long time. It has helped me be more productive in the past few months than I have in a very long time.. I use to think that “being busy” meant that I was getting shit done.. I wasn't. Really, I was tricking my brain into thinking I was. Inn reality, I was really just burning myself out.
Once I started scheduling self-care and down time into my planner, I was able to replenish myself all while still getting “all the things” done. If you enjoy baths, schedule it into your week and hold yourself accountable to actually do it. If you like to have your nails done, schedule a night to give yourself a manicure or a time when you can go have them done. It's just like reading, in order for it to become routine, we have to start by scheduling it. Our brains will then realize that it's an important part of our routine and that it's a non-negotiable to skip.
4. Journaling
Journaling can be rough for people if you don't consider yourself a writer. I'm here to tell you that you don't have to have an ounce of “writer” in your DNA to journal. How is that possible? It's easy. Start by writing down any random thought you have while you're journaling- it could even be that journaling is stupid and you can't believe you let Marissa talk you into it.. Take 5 minutes a day to journal about what you're grateful for or ideas you have. You can make lists or your favorite things, places you want to see, goals you have. Then before you know it, you'll be writing down affirmations of strength and goals you have. Tell yourself you can't and you won't but tell yourself you can and it can completely change what your brain thinks you're capable of.
Teachers are generally self-reflectors. We strive to do better each day for our students and journaling can be the perfect self-care strategy for teachers to use.
5. Affirmations
Another big “self-care” term right here.. affirmations. Not sure what it is? Do a quick picture search on google or take to Pinterest and you will find that there are thousands or pre-made affirmations already formed for you. That's exactly where I started. (Thank you Pinterest!) I now have a list of 5 affirmations that I read daily. Somedays I re-write them in my journal for some extra motivation. It all has to do with your mindset. Affirmations reprogram your subconscious mind. It will encourage you to believe what you're reading about yourself. I was definitely that person who was constantly thinking the worst about myself. Affirmations won't make you conceited or think you're better than anyone else. They will boost your ability to attract love, wealth, beauty, happiness, friendship, or anything else you might feel is missing from your life.
6. Yoga
This one, I'm going to be real honest, I haven't tried.. It's on my bucket list. You'll be sure to find a story all about it after I do try it in my Instagram stories so be sure to follow me @purposefulteachingtoinspire to hear my experience.
Yoga not only has mental benefits, it also has physical ones for your body. In my mind, yoga is about relaxation. Who doesn't need that in their lives? It can also lower blood pressure and improve heart function. The physical aspects Yoga can help with include increased flexibility, increased muscle strength and tone, maintaining a balanced metabolism, weight reduction, improved athletic performance and protection from injury. I apparently need to try this sooner than later.. If you already love yoga or try it out before I do, drop me a message and let me know what you think!
Update— I have now tried yoga! And guess what?! It's my absolute favorite form self-care. I hope you give it a try too!
7. Take a Social Media Break
This can be difficult. I not only use social media for personal use but I also use it to promote my business. Did you know that there is actually a correlation between the amount of anxiety and depression in our society and the amount of time we spend on social media? I took a good year or so off from Facebook my first year of teaching and I found out that I really didn't miss it all that much. When I decided to re-activate my account, I had a new prospective of it. I began using it as it was meant for. My account still looks like a highlight reel but I don't let what I see from others bother me near as much.
It's so easy for teachers to get overwhelmed by all of the ideas they see on Instagram or Pinterest. Self-care for teachers should definitely include a social media hiatus. I highly recommend taking a break from social media to focus on you and what's most important to you. It doesn't have to be for a year or even an extended period of time. Maybe you just schedule one night a week that you don't use your phone or computer for social media.
8. Listen to a Podcast or Favorite Playlist
I'm super late to the podcast scene.. I just recently have started listening to them and I'm very inconsistent about it. There is real value in them though and I highly recommend you do a search to find some that interest you. If you aren't into podcasts, create a playlist that you can listen to in the shower, car, while you're making supper, working out, etc.. Find a time to listen to something you enjoy. It will brighten your day.
9. Mindfulness Techniques
In my mind, being mindful goes along with being present and intentional which is the word I chose for 2019. Originally, I didn't think of mindfulness as a self-care strategy but the more I learn about it, the more I have realized how important it is.
Having mindfulness is being able to take in your surroundings and really notice what's happening or going on. Have you ever caught yourself driving and wonder, how did I get here? It's almost like you don't remember part of your trip to work.. With mindfulness, you will take a your normal commute and start noticing the potholes, certain aspects of houses you pass or details you've missed before. We are a society that is always in a hurry.
Mindfulness is the ability to take in your surroundings, acknowledge how it makes you feel and actually be present. It lets us enjoy the present and quit rehashing the past or worrying about the future. There are tons of resources to help you develop mindfulness but I honestly recommend just taking time during different portions of your day to acknowledge your senses. This may be one of the most important self-care strategies for teachers.
10. Pampering
Pampering is easily one of the first thoughts that come to people's minds when they think of self-care. It can be super expensive if you're running to the spa every other week for a mani/pedi or to have a massage. That's definitely my preferred method of pampering BUT I also know it's not fiscally responsible of me at this point in my life to be running off for facials, massages and consistently getting my nails done on a bi-weekly basis.
Instead, I have invested in a great skin care line that I can use morning and night that allows my skin to be at its best without the cost that a spa would include. For the price of a few facials, I can have 8-9 months of my skincare for the same price.. It's a win in my book. (Feel free to message me for more details on my skincare routine!) I also recruit my husband to provide massages when I can tell I'm getting really tense. He doesn't argue when I tell him that he's free or I could go spend money to have someone else do it for me.
Other self-care ideas for teachers that you can do at home are taking baths, foot soaks, at home hair treatments- I DO NOT color my own hair- I always have a professional do that because I honestly feel that's best for me but I am always up for a deep condition or other at-home treatment to help keep my hair healthy. Once again, schedule your pampering so that you actually make time for it. It's important and it's sure to make you feel better.
What this all comes down to is actually making time for yourself. I didn't use to think it was important until I found myself on the brink of burnout. Pick a couple of these, try them out and let me know what you think! If you want to start receiving my self-care emails for teachers that I will be starting, be sure to subscribe at the top of this page!