by Dr. Joyce Carter, Licensed Mental Health Counselor with McNulty Counseling and Wellness
Over 40% of teachers report experiencing high-stress levels daily during the school year. Teaching careers tie with nursing careers as far as having the highest stress level compared to any other profession. Many variables contribute to the stress teachers face, including classroom behavioral problems, lack of resources, and pressure to meet standardized test expectations (Why Teacher Self-Care Matters and How to Practice Self-Care in Your School, 2021).
Failure to address a teacher’s stress can lead to burnout. Burnout can cause significant physical, emotional, mental, and relationship problems. Burnout affects our teachers’ well-being and contributes to high turnover in education. Teacher burnout affects our students, colleagues, and community (Why Teacher Self-Care Matters and How to Practice Self-Care in Your School, 2021).
According to the National Institute of Mental Illness, there are six components to self-care. These include physical, emotional, psychological, social, professional, and spiritual. The link below is the NAMI self-care inventory, which you may find helpful in bringing awareness to areas you may be neglecting:
https://www.nami.org/NAMI/media/Extranet-Education/HF15AR6SelfCare.pdf
Here are some ideas for self-care:
- Spending time in nature
- Find things that make you laugh
- Writing and reflecting on what went well each day
- Keeping a gratitude journal
- Getting adequate sleep
- Scheduling massages/facials/pedicures
- Spending time with friends and family members
- Reading inspirational books
- Engaging in physical exercise that you find enjoyable
- Learning to cook new meals
- Wearing clothes that make you feel good
- Setting boundaries and saying “no” to extra responsibilities
- Being okay with not knowing
Additionally, you may want to set the school year off to a good start by setting intentions that you would like to bring into your classroom this year, such as:
- Patience
- Compassion
- Calmness
- Warmth
- Passion
- Motivation
- Safety
It might be helpful to put these words in areas where you can be reminded of your intentions, particularly on tough days. Also, remember why you chose this profession, such as feeling you are making a difference, sharing your knowledge and strengths, feeling the satisfaction of helping others, and bringing inspiration and the passion for learning to your students (Hannay, 2022).
Self-care does not always mean we need to dedicate hours out of our day. Ideally, teachers should practice self-care throughout the school day, not just outside of school. Some creative ways an educator can do this is by using the time between class periods for quick mindfulness meditation or light stretching. Bringing self-care into our classrooms allows teachers to routinize that practice and demonstrates its importance to students. Various activities can show students how to care for themselves during class (MindPeace Self-Care Guide, 2018). Here are some ideas for self-care activities that teachers can integrate into the classroom (Why Teacher Self-Care Matters and How to Practice Self-Care in Your School, 2021):
- Short meditation or deep breathing exercise
- Writing in a gratitude journal or a letter to someone
- Self-care bingo
- Making self-care lists
- Taking short nature walks
Our teachers must ensure they are taking care of themselves, not only for their well-being but also for the well-being of their students. I strongly encourage school leadership to integrate self-care strategies into the school system as well as to find creative ways to provide this support to our teachers. Our teachers give so much of themselves to our students, families, and communities; let us make sure we are giving back to them.
References:
Hannay, C. (2022). Retrieved from: https://www.mindfulteachers.org/blog/self-care-resources
MindPeace Self-Care Guide (January 2018). Retrieved from: https://mindpeacecincinnati.com/wp-content/uploads/SelfCareReportR13.pdf
Self-Care Inventory. Adapted from Child Welfare Training Toolkit, March 2008. Retrieved from: https://www.nami.org/NAMI/media/Extranet-Education/HF15AR6SelfCare.pdf
Why Teacher Self-Care Matters and How to Practice Self-Care in Your School (2021). Retrieved from: https://www.waterford.org/education/teacher-self-care-activities/
