Self-Care for Teachers: What, Why and How
You may have heard of “self-care” during professional development, but the concept extends beyond a single workshop. It’s a continual process. While it can be difficult to find the time — or even the desire — treating yourself kindly is worth the effort.
Self-care, as the name suggests, involves focusing on the needs of your body and mind. It can include things such as connecting with family, wearing an empowering outfit or sipping your favorite tea. It can even be as small as breathing in and out with a meditation app for 30 seconds. These small acts can add up to a bigger picture of wellness.
By practicing self-care, you bolster yourself against daily challenges. While self-care won’t eradicate stress, it can raise your baseline for tolerating the terrible. Everyone has unique challenges, and the pandemic has magnified these issues. People think differently and have different social needs. Even so, whether you’re stressed to the limit or feel like things are fine, self-care can help.
You may be put off by the centering of the “self” in self-care. A lot of the time, teachers’ energies are directed towards students, not themselves. This caretaking role can be a recipe for burnout — or compassion fatigue. Without a strong foundation, it’s hard to support your students.
Here are some self-care resources for you to explore, ranging from the general to the specific.
1. 25 Science-Backed Ways to Take Better Care of Yourself
Still not sure what self-care is? Check out this Greatist article on self-care, which features general ideas backed by scientific studies. While not geared toward teachers, you’ll likely find at least one thing to try on this list. If you scroll down, you’ll also find a TL;DR section with cited sources.
2. Harvard EdCast: Prioritizing Self-Care in Practice
The Harvard EdCast is a podcast produced by the Harvard Graduate School of Education. In this episode, lecturer Jacqueline Zeller shares ideas on how teachers can integrate self-care into their lives. Released in late 2020, it acknowledges the unusual stress of the pandemic as well as gives an overview of educator self-care and some helpful resources. Because it’s a podcast, you can listen to it on the go (or while practicing self-care on a nice walk outdoors!). The linked site also provides a transcript.
3. Edutopia’s “Teacher Wellness” topic
Just as self-care isn’t a singular act, this page isn’t focused solely on self-care. That said, self-care is a part of wellness. Some of the links go to articles that give concrete ideas of things to do in your self-care practice. Other links share resources on burnout, stress, and social and emotional learning (SEL). Edutopia updates regularly, so more resources will be added over time.
4. eXHALeR
eXHALeR is a web app for meditative breathing. Geared towards yoga and meditation, it’s also useful for grounding yourself in the present. Breath is a powerful means of self-care. It’s simple, it’s cheap, it’s quick and it’s customizable. eXHALeR allows you to set timers, so you can adjust how long you need to hold and release to best suit your body’s ability. Breathe in, breathe out.
5. Libby (and your local library)
Do you like relaxing with books, magazines and movies? See what your local library has to offer. Audiobooks can be a fun way to get chores done while transporting yourself to far-off lands (or catching up on fictional drama). If you’ve never listened to an audiobook before, trying out some titles from the library is a cheap way to see if they work for you. You might also have access other resources such as Mango Languages or hoopla, so get in touch with your local librarians for more info.
6. Wirecutter’s “Sleep” reviews
Many self-care guides suggest getting restful sleep, which can be easier said than done! This is especially true for teachers who deal with sensory issues or anxiety at night. On this New York Times–owned site, you’ll find plenty of reviews on all sorts of sleep products: pillows, blankets, alarm clocks, mouth guards and more. If you’re struggling with a non-medical sleep issue, it’s worth looking around for options.
There are many ways to practice self-care. Meditation apps, audiobooks or sleep gadgets might not work for you, but perhaps Zooming with friends will. Maybe journaling (even with a sentence a day) will better suit your needs. Try incorporating some form of self-care into your day, or even week, and see what happens.
About the blogger:
Jesika Brooks
Jesika Brooks is an editor and bookworm with a Master of Library and Information Science degree. She works in the field of higher education as an educational technology librarian, assisting with everything from setting up Learning Management Systems to teaching students how to use edtech tools. A lifelong learner herself, she has always been fascinated by the intersection of education and technology. She edits the Tech-Based Teaching blog (and always wants to hear from new voices!).
