Self-Care Made Simple and Sustainable

Making Self-Care Simple and Sustainable

Teaching is a rewarding profession, but it can leave us feeling drained by the end of the day. As educators, we spend our days guiding and supporting others, making it easy to prioritize ourselves last or not have the energy to engage in self-care activities at the end of the day. However, self-care helps us to maintain balance and decrease stress. In this article, we will explore what self-care is, and more importantly, how teachers can integrate self-care into their routines to make it simple, sustainable, and more automatic. 

Understanding Self-Care

Self-care is simply the practice of taking action to maintain or improve one’s health. This includes mental health, physical health, social health, and emotional health. The goal is for self-care to be part of our daily routine. When we prioritize self-care, we are being proactive and fueling our mind and body, so we feel less drained at the end of the day. 

Incorporating Self-Care into Our Routines

The goal is for self-care to become automatic and something we do throughout the day to energize and support us. Creating 5–15-minute self-care blocks during the day allows us to decrease stress and strengthen the systems in our body. Below are 5 strategies to begin making self-care blocks automatic.

1. Plan it out. Just like lesson planning, scheduling self-care activities is essential. Dedicate specific 5–15-minute blocks during your morning, afternoon, and evening. Plan it out to prioritize it and avoid forgetting. 

2. Try habit Stacking. We want self-care to become part of our routine and just as automatic as brushing our teeth. Habit stacking is when we add our 5–15-minute self-care block either before or after one of our automatic routines. An example of this would be adding it to your morning routine. In the morning you wake up, get dressed and eat breakfast. While you are drinking your coffee you can start your self-care block. You can meditate or journal during that time. Over time your brain associates your coffee with your 5–15-minute self-care block, and it becomes something you automatically do.

3. Set cues and reminders. With busy schedules, it is easy to forget about self-care. Using cues and reminders keeps it a priority. Set alarms on your phone or apps to remind you of your self-care block.

4. Make it fun. Self-care doesn’t need to feel like a chore. Find activities you enjoy doing. We want to channel the excitement that kids have about going to recess. Think about what activities you enjoy and add more of those in your day as self-care!

5. Become more aware of what you need. We want to become aware of our body, how we are feeling, and what our thoughts are telling us. As we practice checking in with ourselves, we become more aware of what our body and mind need in the moment, like more energy, concentration, or relaxation, and then include those self-care activities.

Simple 5-15 Minute Self-Care Activities

Having a list of 5–15-minute self-care activities makes it simple for us to add them to our day. We don’t have to think of what to do in the moment, because we have a list ready to use. It is important to add self-care both inside and outside the classroom. Below is a list of ideas you can use during your day.

Inside the classroom

1. Meditation- Meditation slows down our thoughts and helps us to be present in the moment. We can start our day with meditation to set the energy.

2. Breathing reset- Taking 6 deep breaths helps to manage stress and calm the body. We can use this tool at any point during our day.

3. Declutter space- Decluttering helps us to focus and concentrate more. We can have certain times of the day to reset our space.

4. Affirmations- Affirmations give us energy and mood boost. We can say them in our head or out loud.

5. Body Scans- Take 1-2 minutes to check in and notice if there is any tension in your body. We can release the tension by focusing on the muscle to relax it. 

6. Stretches- Stretching our body decreases tension and stress. Stretching is a quick tool to use at any time during the day.

7. Transitions between classes/subjects- Creating a transition allows us to process what we just were focusing on and reset our focus to something new. It gives our brain a reset. We could use the tools above as transitions or create another self-care signal to prepare for the next class or subject.

Outside of the classroom

1. Movement- Movement activates our body and releases endorphins, which improve mood. We want to find movement we enjoy (walking, running, yoga, workout classes).

2. Journaling- Journaling helps us to process thoughts and emotions. We can use journal prompts or free-flow writing.

3. Reconnecting with a hobby- Adding things in our day that we enjoy releases endorphins. Think about what activities you find exciting and begin adding them to your day.

4. Connecting with a friend- Socialization and positive relationships have been found to create a better quality of life. We want to create time in our day to connect with others.

5. Turning off notifications- Notifications can distract us from the present moment. When we silence them, we can keep our thoughts more present. You can use settings and apps to silence your devices from notifications at different times in your day.

6. Prioritizing sleep- Sleep increases energy and improves memory. We want to make sure we get enough sleep each night to fuel our mind and body.

7. Spend time outside- Sunlight improves mood and energy. We can find times during the day to walk or sit outside.

Self-care is fuel for our mind and body. We want to create 5–15-minute blocks during our day to decrease stress and increase energy. By planning self-care, using cues and reminders, making it enjoyable, and becoming more aware of what our body and mind need, we can integrate self-care seamlessly into our day.  Simple 5–15-minute self-care blocks will start to become automatic, and you will feel the difference. Remember taking care of yourself has a ripple effect and positively impacts you and those around you.