You're struggling to balance work and life as an educator. How can you enhance your well-being?

Balancing work and life as an educator can be tough, but I enhance my well-being by setting boundaries and prioritizing self-care. I schedule downtime for hobbies, exercise, and family, ensuring I recharge. Mindfulness practices like meditation help me stay centered. I also seek support from colleagues and stay organized to manage my workload efficiently. Finding joy in both work and personal life is key to my overall well-being.

Put on your own oxygen mask first! That's a hard one, especially for women. We are raised to take care of others, even when it drains our own resources. But once you are drained, you won't have anything of value to share with your students. The best teachers are full of enthusiasm and vitality and that can only happen when they make their well-being a top priority. Plus, when you take care of yourself and follow your own bliss, you will be setting an excellent example for students. What could be more important than teaching them how to live a happy and fulfilled life by following whatever excites them and inspires their enthusiasm?

I was an educator for 5 years What I did was yoga early am, or drove to the school and ran laps in the gym Exercise is essential to performance Destressing, invigorating, good thinking or a relaxing time Also, after school is another option I loved hot tubbing also- So relaxing

In order to set boundaries, you first have to get clear about what you are willing or not willing to accept. Many people have muddy boundaries, which leads to letting themselves be pushed until they snap. That isn't good for anyone! When you're clear in your own mind about where you draw the lines of your boundaries, you will have to spend much less time enforcing them. People intuitively sense them. When your boundaries are muddy, people will keep pushing as they try to find out how much you will put up with. That makes a lot more work for you. Try sitting down right now and write down a clear outline of your own boundaries: how much time you are willing to devote to your job, what you can and cannot put up with at work or at home, etc.

Self care may mean different things to different people. If you are an introvert like me, you need to take time alone to recharge your energy. This is especially important when you are in a very interactive job like teaching. If you are an extrovert, you may need to spend time unwinding with friends. And everyone needs to spend time in the healing energy of nature. Perhaps the most important thing is doing what you love. Nothing will ever be as energizing and healing as following your passion, because passion adds to our energy rather than draining it. I think of life as a trail of breadcrumbs and the breadcrumbs are the moments of excitement, fun, passion and inspiration that show us our true path.