As a teacher, you may feel like your time is stretched in a tug-of-war between yourself, your students, your colleagues, your family, and your life outside of work. It may feel like you can’t set boundaries on your time without disappointing someone, but it’s not true. If you schedule time for others, you can focus your energy on their needs during those hours — and when you’re done, you can transition to your own needs without feeling like you’ve overlooked other obligations. Being able to transition between these modes with as little stress as possible is the tough part. Just as your students need an opportunity to switch from one activity to another, you should make sure you take time for each major transition. At the end of the school day, give yourself a little time to unwind before you shift into your role at home or other responsibilities. Set a limit on work or busy activities after dinner, so you have enough time to relax and prepare for sleep. These are just a few of the important ways in which teachers should be practicing self-care. To learn more about the methods being used by teachers throughout the nation, please check out the infographic coupled alongside this post.
Check out Teacher Self-Care 101, provided by Curriculum Associates; an organization specializing in formative assessment strategies.
