IMPORTANCE OF SELF-CARE

​I've been a teacher for almost a decade now. I taught kindergarten and first-grade for the past seven years. This past year, I experienced burnout, so I decided to take time away from being a classroom teacher.

My burnout was due to many reasons. These include changes in policies at my school, increased student social-emotional challenges, lack of opportunities to advance and grow, and more.

During the final months of last school year, I had to find ways to stay afloat. That's when I finally took notice of my lack of self-care, which may have contributed to my burnout all along.

Here are some things I decided to focus on:

1. Leave at the end of school: I left school when the students did. This made a huge difference! At first, I felt guilty leaving behind prep for the following day, but I finally understood why teachers say, "stick to your contracted hours." Not only did I avoid some traffic on my commute home, but I started to feel balanced in my time spent at school each day. Emails could also wait until the next morning!
2. Exercise: Though a bit expensive, I started taking pilates classes several times weekly after school. Having an added activity gave me joy. On other days, as it got warmer, I made it a point to walk my dog in the neighborhood after dinner.
3. Water: My water bottle is now my favorite thing. I invested in a Stanley water bottle. You don't need one of these, but I found that once I had ice-cold water all day, I was more likely to drink it. I also decided to use it as a tool to keep me grounded. Whenever something required extra patience or thought from students, admin, or parents, I drank water. It was a way of helping me collect my thoughts.
4. Food: I started making enjoyable snacks and meals for lunch. I only had 30 minutes at most. I tried to refrain from making copies during lunch. (Not easy!) When I had lunch to look forward to, like homemade healthy pizza, pasta with meatballs or pesto, or fresh salmon, I was excited to sit down for my break and be present. I also made a version of a yogurt parfait in a container for a snack every day. It was super easy--just a few spoonfuls of vanilla Greek yogurt, a simple granola, and some berries. I also brought extra Cliff bars for my ride home.
5. Clothes: I made sure my shoes were always comfortable and had plenty of layers. I stashed an extra sweater in my classroom cabinet in case it got windy in the afternoon. You can't be in a good mood or patient if you are uncomfortable.

Remember that if you're going through burnout at your job (even if you're not a teacher), you're not alone. Work can be frustrating, and it is easy to feel under-appreciated. I know I needed a new challenge, and having taught for seven years, I started to feel like I had outgrown the initial exciting challenges of being a teacher. I'm ready for something new, but I'm also now aware of what self-care I need to be successful in any job moving forward.