Teacher Self Care

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Happy winter break teacher friends! I am going to talk about teacher wellness/self care today and give a few ideas of relaxing things to do for YOU this break and throughout the school year. 

 Self care is not selfish. I like having alone time where I’m the focus and getting pampered- it helps me chill out and feel beautiful. I love my husband, but need time for myself as well. I also feel like it is unhealthy to do school stuff all the time- papers can wait to be graded, but the relationships you have with your family and friends need to be cultivated on the weekends. Your body and soul need to be replenished so you can go to school refreshed. 


Why is self care important?
I believe that teacher self care is important for the soul because as teachers we spend a majority of our day taking care of 30 other little humans. As a teacher we often play other roles such as counselor, friend, mediator, and sometimes parent figure. We listen to our kids, problem solve with them, and teach them each day. Teachers care deeply for the well being and academic success of our students- feel the joy they feel when they get how to multiply fractions and the frustration they feel from a recess fight with a friend. At the end of the day teachers are tired and need to refresh to be the best of our students, our spouses, and family. Self care helps me to refocus and be patient at home and school with the people around me. How I like to practice self care
  • TV Binging with my husband. My husband is so sweet and amazing. He understands that sometimes I come home tired and could share stories about my class all day. We like to watch shows such as Blue Bloods, Scandal, Madam Secretary, and Big Bang Theory. We record lots of shows because they are on too late for this teacher LOL. I am lucky to have my husband and family who support me. 
  • Eat Out. My husband and I like eating out at restaurants. We are trying to eat healthier and cook more, but eating out means no dishes, no prep, and no cooking. 
  • Happy Hour with teacher friends. My teacher friends and I go out for HH and share stories about our classes and life. It is nice to have friends who get the crazy teacher life. 
  • I love getting my nails done! I get a gel mani about once a month and a pedicure about every other month. It is so fun to pick out a beautiful color or design and have my nails become a work of art. I love sitting in the pedicure chair because it gives me a massage and I often have sore shoulders. *Tip: check out your local Groupon for deals at salons! 
  • Group fitness classes at my gym. I joined a local gym during a black Friday sale and enjoy taking the group fitness classes. I picked the gym because it has free easy parking, wifi, and gorgeous view of Lake Washington. (Tip: pick a gym that you will actually go to with features you will like- for example parking was a MUST for me). I like Zumba classes the best because of the fun upbeat music. It is fun to be on a student and follow a teacher’s moves. 
  • Instagram videos. I follow a lot of teachers on Instagram and appreciate how real teachers are about their classes, the funny skits they do, and strategies they use in their class. As a new teacher I feel like Instagram is fun PD where you can interact with other teachers. Please don’t compare yourself to other teachers on social media- just do YOUR best I also follow makeup bloggers.
Other ways to practice self care
  • Walk your pet(s)
  • Run or walk outside
  • Listen to music
  • Get a massage 
  • Get a haircut 
  • Do your makeup 
  • Go shopping or window shopping 
  • Go to concerts or comedy shows
  • Starbucks treats

Go out and treat your self to some self care this holiday break! 

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