Summer break, WHERE ARE YOU? This has been SUCH a stressful school year, and if you’re anything like me you’re probably asking yourself if you’ll ever make it to the end. A much-needed summer break is on the horizon for all of us, but it’s taking forever to get here. In the meantime, as we sit daydreaming and waiting, we still have work to do and students to teach!
So how can we get through the rest of this school year in one piece? Below I’ll share some tips for helping you get there.
Tip # 1 IDENTIFY YOUR STRESSORS
The very first thing we need to do to get you to the end-of-the-year finish line is to identify your stressors. The stressors in your work environment may be causing you to be exhausted, cynical, overly emotional, have brain fog, and feel that you are never going to make it.
When you hear the voices in your head telling you that you CAN’T, you need to stop to identify what is causing that. The cause could be something like your end-of-year to-do list or a chatty classroom. Maybe you don’t have enough time in your school day or you’re worried you won’t finish teaching your grade-level standards in time. Whatever your stressors may be, it’s important that you identify them so you know what they are and how to take control of them.
Tip #2 FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL
Once you have identified your stressors, you need to focus on what you can control. So many things are out of our control, and it’s important that we accept that. A parent’s response to a situation within your classroom or the upcoming state testing are situations that can be stressful, but they are situations we have no control over. We have to take the focus off of these things because they are taking up space in our heads and living there rent-free. Instead, we have to focus on what we can control.
Maybe your end-of-year to-do list is overwhelming you. How can we tackle that? If we focus on completing small tasks each day, we can accomplish them more quickly. As we are taking a look at our growing to-do list, we want to work on the most important things first, followed by the least important things last. All in all, though, we must focus on what we can control.
Tip #3 MAKE YOUR HEALTH A PRIORITY
The last but most important thing is to make sure your health is a priority. When you are at your best, you’re giving everyone else your best. You have nothing to prove to anyone. Put yourself, your values, and your family first.
Let’s talk about what this looks like:
- Eating healthy foods for your brain to function properly
- Getting enough rest so you can avoid brain fog
- Exercising at least 30 mins a day to boost endorphins, feel better, and work out the stress
- Drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
- Making time for hobbies such as spending time with family, going into nature, taking a walk, meditating, praying, or reading for fun.
Now that you have the tools needed to get through the year, let me help you cross some things off of your to-do list!
+Need ideas for student gifts? I can help with that too! Click here to view my former blog post featuring simple gifts that don’t break the bank.
+Want a FREE way to reward student behavior? Check out my class coupon freebie here!
I know this is a hard time of year. I feel it too, but you will get through this. There is a short amount of time before the school year is over and Summer break is here. You can breathe right now, knowing you’ve made it through the hardest part of the school year. All I ask is that you focus on what you can control and put yourself first to help you finish out this school year strong.
You’ve got this!
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