How to Start a Teacher Self Care Routine

Are you feeling stressed and anxious about this school year?  You need a teacher self care routine!  Let me help you get started today.

We all know how easy it is to get caught up in the overwhelm of worrying about our students, planning lessons, dealing with behavior problems, and communicating with parents.  Then we have our family life to think about: appointments, cooking meals, running errands, children, fur babies, and more! Not to mention some of us will be teaching virtually this year. (For more tips on virtual teaching, click here.)

Whew!  That made me stressed just thinking about it.

I’ll admit that I used to be notoriously bad about carving out time for myself.  I would go, go, go, and then by the time I had a break from school, I would be so exhausted that it was hard to enjoy it.  Sound familiar?

Your Emotional Bank

One day while I was sick and at home from school, I happened to catch an episode of Dr. Phil. He was speaking to an exhausted and depressed mother.  I don’t normally watch a lot of television, but what he was talking about drew me in.

He explained it like this, “You are like a bank.  When you give to others, you are constantly making withdrawals.  If you never make any deposits, you are eventually going to run out of money.  The way to make deposits is to spend time taking care of yourself.”

This made complete sense to me.  I had been trapped in a cycle of feeling guilty anytime I wasn’t busy helping my students, playing with my kids, or doing something around the house. I had no teacher self care routine.  No wonder I felt like I had no energy left over!

Now I understand that if I don’t invest in myself, I will have nothing left to give.

You have to stop waiting for the big break from school and start carving out time each day to rest and recharge.  You will feel happier, more energized, and be the best version of yourself!  So, no more excuses.  Get ready to make some deposits in that emotional bank!

Ideas for a Teacher Self Care Routine

You might be wondering what to include in your routine.  This is personal to everyone.  You need to consider what restores your inner peace and brings you joy.

Here are some ideas:

• Reading
• Getting outdoors
• Spa day
• Girls’ night out
• Date night
• Crafts
• Baking
• Meditation
• Binge-watching a favorite show

You could also consider signing up for a subscription box as a way to treat yourself.  Urban Tastebud has a top ten list of the best boxes for teachers.  Click here to check it out.

And don’t leave out exercise and drinking enough water!  You have to keep that body moving and hydrated to have a healthy lifestyle.

The Sunday Night Ritual

Have you ever heard the saying, “Failing to plan is planning to fail?”  If you are going to succeed at creating a self care routine, you need a plan of action.  Sundays are a great day to plan for the coming week.

Try to carve out 30 minutes in the morning.  Sit down with a cup of coffee, your planner, some cute pens, and lay it all out.  (pssst…keep reading for a link to a free printable)

Use this time to find some healthy meals and snacks to prep.  Eating the right foods can prevent you from grabbing a candy bar or fast food.

You can also use this time to check your calendar. Can you find a day to have coffee or a Zoom chat with a friend?  When is the best time to exercise?  How can you arrange a date night with your husband?  

You will not fit every idea into every week, but creating a daily and/or weekly plan will help you commit to taking care of yourself.

Morning Mania

Are your mornings as chaotic as mine can be?  Packing lunches, getting ready for work, and rushing kids off to school or childcare?

I want you to try getting up early.  Gahhhh!  I know.  Getting up early sounds like the worst.  But this is a perfect time to for you to grab some “me time.”  

Here are some things you could do with an extra 30 minutes in the morning:

• Drink your coffee (while it is still hot!)
• Read a book 
• Meditate
• Write in a journal
• Take a walk
• Work out

Doesn’t that sound like a lovely way to start the day?  Trust me, once you get out of that bed, you are not going to regret it.  Having some quiet time will equip you with energy and patience to face the rush to get out the door or maybe, just maybe, you won’t even have to rush at all because you got up early. #winning

The Commute

If you are teaching in person, your morning commute can be stressful.  This is the time that my brain starts to dwell on all of my worries.  However, you can’t solve any of life’s problems while you are driving!

Use this time wisely.  It might be a great time to roll your windows down and blast your favorite music.  Have you subscribed to any great podcasts lately?  You may love listening to a teaching podcast that gives you quick tips.  Or, if you are anything like me, listening to a true-crime podcast can be a great diversion. 

When you get to school, instead of feeling amped up and anxious, you will be more relaxed and ready for the day.  I like to get to work early and work when I can be very focused.  If I wait until after school I get distracted by chatting with friends about the day.

Lunch Break

Listen to me carefully.  Eat. your. lunch.  It is so tempting to use those extra minutes to make copies or to check your mailbox, but you need a solid healthy lunch to get a boost of energy to carry you through the afternoon.  When you can, step outside for 5 minutes.  A little Vitamin D and fresh air are good for the soul.

After School

Don’t be tempted to drag a huge pile of work home.  I can’t tell you how many times I lugged a giant bag full of stuff home to work on, only to never open my bag and have to drag it back the next morning.  If you got to school early, you should be able to straighten up your desk and the classroom and head out with only some papers to grade in your bag.

If your bag is empty, all the better!

I’m always starving after school, so I eat one of those healthy snacks that I prepped over the weekend on the way home.  This keeps me from overeating at dinner or being hangry while I’m cooking.  So worth it!

Evening

After the kids have settled in for the evening, I finally have time to relax.  This is a great time to indulge in self-care and unwind from a stressful day.

Ways to unwind:

• Sit outside and have a long talk with your spouse
• Take a warm bubble bath
• Read
• Work on a craft project
• Reflect on the day and write in a gratitude journal
• Put down your phone

My wish for you is that you follow through and create a teacher self-care routine that allows you to live your best life.  Remember, habits take time to form, so don’t give up!

If you are looking for even more ideas, check out this video.

I created a fun printable for you to use to plan your day and how you will care for yourself.  You can download it for FREE by clicking here.

Enjoy it and take care of yourself because you are worth it!