Teachers’ mental health and wellbeing is under pressure like never before, you may be feeling more stressed and anxious than usual. There are so many unknowns and uncertainties brought about by the coronavirus pandemic in all areas of life, including education. It’s important we focus on things to help us manage our worries or feeling of being overwhelmed. Self-care is definitely a priority right now and whilst you may already have your own methods for dealing with stress or anxiety, we’ve pulled together a few themes to think about.
Be kind to yourself
Have a think about what helps lift your mood and plan time in to do it! Take a break from the worrying news for the day, turn off your phone. Schedule in some breathing space and allow yourself to indulge in whatever makes you happy – a long soak in the bath, decluttering a space, baking or just doing nothing! Also, don’t forget the basics of eating well and getting enough sleep; sometimes the simple things can fall by the wayside during times of stress.
Maintain that work/life balance
It’s likely there are few to no distractions from work when you get home at the moment, or you could be working remotely so home is work! Therefore, it’s important to develop new routines to allow you to switch off from ‘teacher mode’ and ensure work doesn’t encroach on every other part of your life. Spend your free time doing the things that you want to do.
Get outside
When you can, get outside for that burst of daily exercise and fresh air. The evenings are getting lighter and the air a little warmer, so take time away from the classroom and get out into nature. Whether you walk, run or cycle, it’s important to see some sunlight, get that shot of vitamin D.
Make time to talk
It’s a very strange feeling to be separated from those we love and regularly get together with; now is the time to ensure we stay connected. Make a point of speaking to your family and friends, share your fears or concerns with them; they will help you to get some perspective. But also think about who you could help by keeping in touch; whether this be with a simple “how are you?” text, a phone call or even a Zoom get-together. This could make a world of different to someone in your network.
One thing is for sure, there’s no right or wrong way of dealing with feelings of stress or anxiety. Yes, we’re seeing lots of social media activity about baking banana bread, learning to macramé or becoming fluent in a new language …… but this isn’t for everyone and it’s not a competition!
Self-care is individual to you, only you know what’s right.