Tips and Ideas for Teacher Self-care
You have probably heard or seen the quote “you can’t pour from an empty cup”. It is so true! As teachers, it is in our nature to take care of others before taking care of ourselves. During the last year, it became more evident that teachers need taking care of as well. And we need to start taking care of ourselves. Teacher self-care is more relevant now than ever before.
It is easier said than done. That I know very well! I’m one of those people who use to feel guilty to sit and watch a movie in the middle of the day during my break. Ok, I still do, but I have learned to slow down and actually just take a break.
Over the last year and a bit, I have made a conscious decision to take some me-time every day. I’m going to share some of my favorite self-care activities with you and hopefully, it will inspire some of you to slow down, breathe and take care of yourself!
My favorite self-care activities
1. Reading
I am a bookworm. There is no denying it. My mini library is probably going to drive my husband crazy one of these days! Thank goodness for my Kindle! I have to read every day. To be honest, I would rather read a good book than watch something on TV. I try to read for at least 30 minutes every night before I turn off the light. And most evenings that turns into 60 minutes… or 90…
My favorite authors include Kathy Reichs, Lucinda Riley, Kate Mosse, and Philippa Gregory. I’m also a huge Harry Potter fan and I am currently reading the books to my daughter.
I have taken part in the GoodReads challenge for the past couple of years. My goal for 2021 is 100 books. You can follow me on GoodReads to see how it is going!
2. Puzzles
Oh, I love a pretty jigsaw puzzle! I have way too many and my wishlist is a mile long, but it is such a relaxing activity. I always have one going on the dining room table during school breaks. My daughter is becoming quite the puzzler herself and she loves helping me. Holidays at the beach house consist of my mom, myself, and my daughter building puzzle after puzzle. Quality family time and quality self-care time!
3. Crocheting
I can’t just sit and watch TV or a movie. Crocheting is my way to keep busy and produce something pretty. During lockdown I started crocheting animal blankets for my daughter and all my nephews. I love the patterns from MJ’s Off the Hook. Now I just need to find time to crochet my llama blanket!
4. Working Out (Yes, it is self-care!)
I’m going to be honest, I’m not the sporty type. But I have realized that as I’m getting older (hello 40!) I need to work a lot harder to try to keep in shape. And with my family history of heart disease, cancer, etc. it became a priority. I bought a few basic weights, a yoga mat, and an aerobic step, found a workout program, and got going. Now that 45 minutes in the evening is my time to clear my head and just get rid of any tension.
5. Being Organized
Having a million ideas, to-do lists, and random other pieces of information in my head, just became exhausting. Yay for Google Keep! This little app is an absolute blessing and the reason why my ducks are somewhat in a row. I have different headers for school stuff, my business, and family things. I have the tab pinned in my browser on my computer and it syncs to the app on my phone. Love it! Not having to remember all the things is such a great feeling.
I also share some tips and ideas on cutting down on your prep time in my blog post on taking back your evenings.
6. Coffee (My favorite form of self-care)
A good cup of coffee is an absolute must at the start of my day. I get up before the rest of the family and enjoy my first cup in lovely peace and quiet. And let’s face it, that’s probably the only quiet time for the rest of the day! My husband and I have invested in a good bean-to-cup coffee machine a couple of years back and it is the best thing we’ve ever bought!
My Gift to You
I’ve created these Google Keep Headers as a thank you for your support. You can download them here. I hope they bring a little bit of order to your life.
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