Do you feel stressed out already about the new school year? Let’s talk about time and how we can spend it this school year.
Read this post: Personal Growth for Teachers
Read this post: Self-Care in the Summer for the Tired Teacher
School’s out for summer! I can hear a collective sigh of relief from exhausted teachers everywhere. It’s been a tough year and the break is needed to rejuvenate. In this blog post, I will share some ideas about self-care in the summer for the tired teacher (that’s me).
Over the last school year, you felt like you were sometimes just barely getting through each day. Absolutely exhausted.
You’ve been overwhelmed by the workload as well as the many pivots you’ve had to make in your teaching during this pandemic.
You feel like you are constantly falling behind and somehow can’t catch-up to where you want or need to be (at home and work).
Teaching has become incredibly difficult due to the fast pace of using new technology, devices, apps, and more.
Perhaps you’ve even considered other professions due to feeling worn out from teaching in the classroom.
Whichever example resonated with you the most, please know that I see you and empathize with you.
Our job is so important for our students, yet it has truly pushed us to our limits during the past few years.
This is why I’m so happy that it’s summer! I need to practice self-care in the summer because I feel like I haven’t done it so well during the past school year. Just speaking my truth.
Does this sound like you, too?
Read this Post: Self-Care for Teachers | My Favourite Beverages
According to dictionary.com, self-care is, “the act of attending to one’s physical or mental health, generally without medical or other professional consultation” or “the products or practices used to comfort or sooth oneself,” (https://www.dictionary.com/browse/self-care).
Over the last few years, I’ve seen many messages on social media reminding others that self-care isn’t just bubble baths or going to a spa. Well, they can be part of one’s self-care practice, but it’s not just about those particular types of activities.
Read this post: Good mental health: How to improve yours (and maintain it for life)
I will share a few ways that I will focus on self-care over my holiday.
Yes, I know – you can never “catch up” on missed sleep.
Nevertheless, for me personally, there’s nothing sweeter than sleeping in on my summer break. Waking up without the alarm clock on my phone is always pretty appealing!
A few years ago, I had a great routine for working out, whether it was at the gym or at home. I was motivated and enjoyed doing so.
Then the pandemic hit and the interest that was there before sadly waned.
My goal this summer is to start getting back into a new routine for working out. I have already decided on a few ways to do this and will share in a future post!
For the time being, a walk outdoors is a simple, yet invigorating way for me to get moving and also get some fresh air, too.
I truly look forward to seeing more friends in person this summer.
In my books, connecting with your social circle, whether as a group or one-to-one, is a form of self-care. When I am with my dearest friends, the conversations that we have are soul-filling. Did I also mention that we enjoy various types of foods during these chats, too?
Eating lunch during the school work-day is important, yet I always feel like I’m in a tremendous rush to do so. This summer, I want to make sure that when I eat, I do the following:
Teachers are always reading and writing each day for work.
Reading books that I haven’t had time to read before is something that I look forward to doing this summer.
I also enjoy journaling. Writing helps me to clarify my thoughts and reflect.
Slowing down my mind and even stopping from physically rushing around is sometimes quite difficult during the work day. I’m grateful that moments of prayer and/or meditation can help me stop and be present.
Some may pray, and others may prefer meditation. Whatever helps you stop and rest in that moment is truly special.
Another way for me to focus on self-care in the summer is to catch-up on shows I’ve missed. The Amazing Race is one of my favourite shows to watch!
I recently got into watching Survivor (watched the last two seasons). Didn’t know what I was missing before!
I also look forward to watching re-runs of Abbott Elementary. It makes me so happy! Have you seen it before?
My beverages of choice are smoothies and herbal tea. To learn more about my favourites, click here to read.
It’s been fun sharing ideas for self-care in the summer, but it’s something that should be practiced year-round.
Yes, my Teacher-Friend. I am talking to you and me both.
The many self-care tips shared above, I intend to weave them into my next school year much better than I did before. The pandemic caused many changes and stopped many prior routines, but I’m excited to try and get back on track.
Are you with me?
In some future blog posts, I will focus on different areas of self-care and wellbeing. I think that having a mindset of caring for oneself each and every day, even in a small way, can set the tone for other aspects of life, too.
Remember, we can’t drink or pour from an empty cup.
I hope you will join me as I plan to get better at focusing on self-care, while also caring for and helping all of those around me, too.
Now, let me start by making my favourite cup of tea!
Wishing you all a safe, healthy, peaceful, relaxing, and happy summer break.
You simply deserve it!
Let’s chat on social media! Stay connected with Minds to Grow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. You can also keep in touch with linktr.ee/mindstogrow.
Did you know that December 2 is recognized as Women’s Brain Health Day? After learning this information today, I instantly wanted to learn more. I will talk about my interest in brain health and share a few resources I’ve found, including the best website on women’s brain health.
Just a little backstory for you. When I chose the name, “Minds to Grow” for my website and blog, there were several different reasons for the selection. It resonated with me because it connected to the following: being a teacher and working with young children, my recent interest in caring for plants since the start of the pandemic, as well as the fact that I absolutely love learning new things each day.
I have been interested in learning about the brain for quite some time now. As a teacher, I enjoy helping my students learn about having a growth mindset. They always like learning that their brain is like a muscle and that they can grow their brain by doing challenging things. Check out this short video to learn more about growth mindset.
From a self-care and wellbeing perspective, I have been interested in learning more about brain health over the last decade. I feel blessed to have many special seniors in my life and so I have been learning a lot about health and aging. In that learning, I discovered that concerns about brain health and potential cognitive decline are not just limited to when we’re older, but instead an important focus at any age.
Most recently, I ordered and started reading a book with a title that caught my attention. Of course, the title makes it sound too good to be true, yet after reading through it, I learned that key lifestyle changes can help people take better care of their brain. I see the importance of physically working out, and surely see the importance of focusing more on brain health, too.
The book, “The 30-Day Alzheimer’s Solution: The Definitive Food and Lifestyle Guide to Preventing Cognitive Decline”, was written by Dean Sherzai, MD, PhD, and Ayesha Sherzai, MD, MAS. This book is divided into four parts:
I learned a lot from the explanations and descriptions, appreciated the practical tips included in the book, as well as the delicious, easy-to-make recipes. I’ve already tried out a few recipes multiple times! Quick example: the Chickpea Omelet on page 99 is a new favourite for me!
Read this! Self-Care for Teachers: My Favourite Beverages
Video: Women’s Brain Health Day: Advocates say brain-aging disorders under-researched in women
Today is the third annual Women’s Brain Health Day in Canada. It started in 2019 and I’m so glad to know that it is something being recognized.
A most wonderful resource that I found today is the Women’s Brain Health Initiative (WBHI). On the website, it shares its mission:
“Women’s Brain Health Initiative (WBHI) helps protect women’s brain health by focusing its resources on research to combat brain-aging disorders that disproportionately affect women, and by creating compelling preventative health education programs, grounded in science, so there is a greater understanding by the public of the best ways to prolong their cognitive vitality.” (https://womensbrainhealth.org)
Now that I know about this website, I look forward to visiting often and learning as much as possible. It is a resource that will help me continue to build my knowledge on brain health and ultimately be of help to me, and hopefully even others reading today.
“70% OF ALZHEIMER’S SUFFERERS ARE WOMEN.
YOU CAN’T IGNORE A NUMBER THIS BIG
Women’s brain health initiative (WBHI), www.womensbrainhealth.org
Have you been interested in learning more about brain health, too?
If so, what kinds of new learning do you have?
Have you changed any particular habits or behaviour to help focus more on self-care and wellbeing?
Let’s chat on social media! Stay connected with Minds to Grow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. You can also keep in touch with linktr.ee/mindstogrow.
Self-care for teachers is important! As fulfilling as teaching can be, it is also very draining. As a result, my goal is to focus more on self-care each day. I’m sure many fellow educators can identify with the physical and mental exhaustion that often comes in our profession, and for that reason, I invite you to join me in meeting this goal, too!
In the past, I viewed “self-care” as somewhat of a special event. A key example would be spending time at a spa. Sounds lovely, right? The problem with that is that it would be a rare event, not to mention, one that could potentially be quite costly.
Read This! “Why Teacher Self-Care Matters” by www.waterford.org
I’m thankful to see self-care in a different light now, but I must admit, I still need to work on taking better care of myself on a regular basis. That is why I have decided to purposely start sharing some of the ways I already practice self-care, as well as some things that I wish to try out.
What does self-care for teachers look like to you?
I will be sharing some of my own personal favourite beverages. These special drinks can be comforting and warming, while others give me a taste of some favourite flavours. Read on to view some of my own go-to beverages (in no particular order).
I personally enjoy drinking herbal tea and love the variety of flavours available. From peppermint tea to ginger lemon tea, I really like trying out various flavours across different tea brands.
The one that I recently discovered is an instant new favourite. It’s Spice Dragon Red Chai (Caffeine-Free) by Stash. This herbal tea is absolutely comforting to me. The ingredients include cinnamon, rooibos, ginger root, and clove. I use it without sugar and add a tiny amount of almond milk. Click on the images below for more details about this tea.
If you also enjoy herbal tea like myself, have you tried any of the following flavours? If not, give them a try.
This is an “instant herbal beverage with dandelion”. A friend of mine introduced this one to me a while back after I mentioned that I don’t drink coffee. I love the taste and scent of this beverage. I usually add some almond milk and a bit of honey for taste. It also makes a great iced drink, too!
Smoothies made at home are perhaps one of the easiest ways I can ensure that I grab breakfast in the morning. Making them at home helps me monitor the amount of sugar and types of ingredients in the smoothie. I love the versatility of smoothies and constantly try out different kinds. Some go-to ingredients for me include the following:
Read this! Mango Spinach Smoothie Recipe by simplegreensmoothies.com
Hot, warm, or cold, I am one that savours each sip from a beverage of choice each day. It can be that smoothie in the morning to get an energy boost, or that warm cup of herbal tea in the evening as I settle in at home after a day at work. Self-care in a cup (or mug, or glass, or whatever container it may be). That’s just one simple little way I practice self-care. It is like a a few moments of peace, a few moments to get energized or reset.
How do you practice self-care?
www.mindstogrow.ca
Let’s chat on social media! Stay connected with Minds to Grow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. You can also keep in touch with linktr.ee/mindstogrow.
