If you're a mom you have probably seen this oft quoted idiom on Pinterest or some mom blog. You've probably been told to take care of yourself and not to overextend yourself, especially when it comes to caring for your family. Mom-burnout is a huge problem, especially in the era of Instagram and lives that are curated to look easy and perfect.
Teacher burnout is a major issue as well, and many of the wise words doled out by mom-bloggers and life coaches can be used to fill your metaphorical cup and keep teachers energized and focused, rather than exhausted and disillusioned. As I discussed in my last post, my intro to teaching was stressful, but well supported, and I continue to have a number of strategies and structures in place to help me maintain sanity, stay healthy, and keep my life/work/family balance feeling manageable. Here's a list of some of the things I currently do to keep myself feeling great: - exercise - individually and in groups - journal writing - family walks - reading (especially fiction) - conversations with friends and family - team-teaching & collaboration - eat well and eat meals as a family - aim for 8 hours of sleep a night - knitting and other handicrafts - cleaning! (Nothing helps you avoid report cards like vacuuming your house top to bottom) - singing and making music - learning new things (using Meludia, taking part in OLTD) Dealing with the stresses and challenges of teaching is similar to dealing with the stresses and challenges of being a mom. You're understaffed. You're outnumbered. You have high hopes and emotional investment in the outcomes. And it's a career choice where you're likely to give more of yourself than is always healthy. Sometimes you need to take a step back, make sure that you're taking care of yourself first, and create as loving an environment for yourself as you would for your children or students.
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Leslie McCurrachEnthusiastic Learner. Avid Gardener. DL Teacher. Archives
March 2018
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