Summer Self-Care Tips for Educators

I’m not going to talk about that place you work at for a summer article. I don’t want you thinking too much about that place, but I will talk about how much you need to rest and implement self-care this summer before going back to your place of employment. 

Here are some ideas on how to take care of yourself this summer. 

Don’t work on stuff

I don’t care what ideas you have for the next year. Your room, your boards, and your plans can wait a few weeks. You don’t need to laminate anything right now. If you’re not cutting and pasting together items for your scrapbook or in your craft room, PUT THE SCISSORS AND GLUE DOWN.

You need to detach, refresh, and take care of YOU. The summer will fly by if you continue to work on tasks for work. You work 40+ weeks during the year. Won’t you take at least 2 weeks and focus on your self-care?

Put your work bag in the basement. Sign out of your email account. Put your group chats on silent. 

Give Yourself Grace

One challenge I have is giving myself grace when it comes to rest. If I sit for too long watching ‘The Office’, eat too many of my favorite snacks, or sleep more than six hours, I feel guilty.  Since we’re always moving, being still has become a foreign concept to us. It feels wrong to just sit and be, so we make ourselves do something to continue in the rhythm of always going, going, going. 

You have earned this break. Self-care is the LEAST you can do for yourself. There is nothing wrong with being still and enjoying the calm for a few weeks. Stare at the ceiling in your pajamas for a few days. Create a dent in the bed from laying too long. Watch so many episodes of your favorite show that Netflix has to pop up and ask “Continue Watching?” more than once. If you feel like getting up, you can. Showering is always good. Grocery shopping is a necessity, but don’t MAKE yourself do something just for the sake of doing something. 

Treat Yo Self

Pick 1 or 2 (or 5) goals you’ve been wanting to accomplish for a while and haven’t had the time to do. Is it a brunch? Taking a drive? Visiting family? Getting your nails painted a certain color? A Massage? A Painting Class? A Cooking Class?

There are a ton of things out there to do beyond the places you’ve researched for field trips. Do a few of them this summer. The amazing thing is that you have time during the week to do them. Most people are still at work (HA!), so you don’t have to experience long lines or long wait times. 

Make a choice to do something you want to do. There’s power in making your own choice. Many times, in our chosen profession, we are making decisions based on the direction and leadership of others. We don’t always have a say in what’s done to us or through us. 

Make your own choices this summer. Start with choosing something for yourself to do. Then, enjoy it! Even if it turns out to be a terrible experience, you independently made the decision for yourself. That means more than you know. 

Whatever you do, don’t work on stuff for a few weeks. Don’t go visit the place where you work. You’re not allowed to go to the stores that sell items you need for your job. Don’t go to the supplies section in the store. Walk the other way. 

This isn’t forever. It’s just a few weeks! We spend more time there than we do resting and taking care of ourselves. 

Take the time this summer. Rest. Revive. Thrive. 

Then, and only then, can you work on sch.... stuff for the place where you work.

P.S. Want to learn more about self-care for educators this summer? Don’t forget about the Annual Teacher Self-Care Conference hosted by the creator of The Educator’s Room, Franchesca Warren! Learn more about it here.