The stretch of the school year from September to December is a long one because there’s so much happening from kicking off the year, to getting into a routine, to battling getting stuck in a routine! The December break is the perfect time to slow down and make time for teacher self-care.
It’s also a good time to start thinking about how we can have better balance and more peace during the school year for the rest of the year.
You might have heard of the 75 hard habit tracker, but let’s switch it up and try the 35 soft, a slowed-down, peaceful approach to finding balance and building more teacher-friendly habits.
It involves tracking the following habits for 35 days, or 5 weeks: daily movement, 3 nourishing meals, productive planning time (leaving at contract hours), and evening ritual / self-care.
This blog post is all about building sustainable habits. Keep reading for tips for teachers to embark on a new routine, plus make sure to download the free tracker to support your own accountability!
Teacher Self-Care Tip #1: Daily Movement
You’re likely already moving a bit throughout the day but it’s always better to make that movement a little bit more intentional.
Incorporating movement into the day yields benefits for your physical and mental health. It helps to reduce stress, boosts energy, and improves your mood through the release of endorphins.
Here are some tips for incorporating movement into your teacher self-care plans:
During the School Day: Take a brisk walk during lunch or prep time. A great way to do this and stay accountable is to see if other staff will start a little “walk club” with you!
Even on outdoor recess duty, do laps of your area rather than just standing in one spot! Anything is better than nothing.
Participate in DPA with your students with a few jumping jacks, some intentional stretching, or even a mini-dance party.
At Home: Whatever floats your boat! Go to the gym or take workout class if you enjoy that. Or you can keep things simple with a variety of at-home workouts. YouTube has a ton of options you can do like bodyweight training, Pilates, or yoga. Alternatively, do a family walk after dinner every night!
I have a very simple workout set-up at home that keeps me accountable & makes it super easy to get movement in. Check out what I use:
- 1lb Ankle Weights (also great for throwing on before a walk)
- 2lb Ankle Weights
- Dumbbells – I use the whole variety of 5, 10, 15, and 20 lbs.
- Yoga Mat
- Resistance Bands
Remember movement doesn’t need to be intense—consistency is more important than anything else. So make the most of that yard duty, the walk to and from public transit, or a window of time to get your body moving before or after your teaching day!
Teacher Self-Care Tip #2: Nourishing Meals
This teacher self-care tip goes hand-in-hand with the first tip: Eat well, feel well! Nutritious meals will improve your energy and focus. With good nourishing meals, you will feel less sluggish and tired throughout the day and therefore… more productive!
Plan Ahead: Meal prep on weekends to avoid resorting to quicker and less healthy options.
Quick Meal Ideas (or prep-ahead options): overnight oats, greek yogurt parfaits, salad jars, adult “bento box” lunches that include crackers, cheese, boiled egg, fruit, veggies, etc. I always do dinner leftovers for lunch, which saves the hassle of having to make something else!
Snacks to Stay Fueled: Fruits, nuts, or yogurt for quick energy boosts. Revisit that desk snack drawer to keep options like this handy instead of those quick-hit snacks like chocolate, candy or chips.
Teacher Self-Care Tip #3: Productive Planning Time (PPT) / Leaving at Contract Hours
This is the one that is always easier said than done. Since you can only leave (or come close to leaving) at contract hours if you use your time at school wisely. I swear by having productive prep time.
Some of my top teacher self-care tips to help with being productive with your time at school include:
- Setting Clear Goals: Plan your prep times at the start of the week, the same way you plan what you’re teaching during each period. You can designate specific days of the week for specific recurring tasks, or just write out your must-do/may-do list and and assign those tasks to different days.
For example, Monday = Grade 12 quizzes, Tuesday = Grade 13 quizzes, Wednesday = Create rubric for science project, Thursday = plan for next week, Friday = photocopies for next week. - Stick to a realistic to-do list: Be VERY clear on what actually needs to get done right away and what can wait.
- Limit distractions: Pick the best space for you to get things done and set the tone in that space. Is it playing low-key music in your classroom during your prep? Go for it! Is it putting your phone in a drawer or across the room so you’re less tempted to scroll? Do it!
Check out this post for more time management tips for teachers.
Teacher Self-Care Tip #4: Evening Ritual / Self-Care
A calming evening routine is so important. This can be ANYTHING that makes you feel calm, relaxed and takes away those “scary” feelings of having to go back to work the next day.
Take a few minutes at night to pack your lunch and pick an outfit for the next day. This may not seem relaxing, but going to bed knowing everything is ready is TRULY freeing and makes for a smoother morning!
Make time for things that wind you down or make you feel good: meditation, stretching, bath/shower, reading, TV show, etc.
I recommend putting your phone away for at least 30 minutes before you go to bed. I have time limits set for my most distracting apps and I like to charge mine across the room so I don’t go on it once I get into bed!
I use this alarm clock so that my phone doesn’t need to be near me. It wakes you up SO peacefully and it has a “sundown” feature, which I use to wind down as well. It’s similar to the Hatch alarm clock but a little less expensive and doesn’t require a subscription.
A good routine can help you feel so much happier in your career as a teacher. These simple but attainable teacher self-care tips will ensure your work-life balance improves quickly.
If you want to make time each day for (additional) teacher self-care, join me in staying accountable with this FREE Teacher Soft 35 Habit Tracker.
For more teacher self-care tips check out these posts:
