5 Tips for De-Stressing after a Busy School Year

Being an educator is hard work. You deserve a relaxing summer.

1.86 million teachers describe their mental health as ‘not good’ according to a recent study. 

It’s not really a surprise, right? 

With the crippling workload, apathetic students, hard-to-reach parents, and a host of troubling rules, policies, and expectations, teaching is HARD work.

Yes, many people assume when the school bell rings and the kids are ‘gone’, you head home for a yoga workout, glass of wine, and a few papers to grade but we know that’s FAR from the truth.

While teaching is a tough profession, teachers are often the light that shows hope, guidance, and a brighter future for so many kids. And for this… THANK YOU.

If you’re one of the many teachers who are out on Summer Break right now, it’s a great time to start getting your Stress under control so it doesn’t sidetrack your awesome summer plans.

Tip #1: Get QUIET

After spending 10 months running around, wearing 15 hats (a day? An hour??), and putting out small and massive fires All.The.Time, stress may have been your friend and helped you accomplish MORE. However, living like that isn’t sustainable OR healthy.  By allowing your brain to slow down, massive healing can take place. You may actually be able to listen to your thoughts (and your BODY!) while they’re gently whispering to you and telling you what you need/want before they start to scream at you.

This quiet time has been critical for millions of teachers as their schedules free up a bit and they’re able to find calm after a chaotic year, spend some quality time with themselves (YES, this is important!), and discover and reflect upon the most important things in their life.  

Research has shown that quiet time can lower blood pressure, boost the body's immune system, grow new brain cells (seriously??), and decrease overall stress by lowering blood cortisol levels and adrenaline.  

So, especially in these first few weeks of summer, make it a priority to embrace the QUIET.

(photo by Leon Biss)

Tip #2: Expand your Inner Circle

When you meet new people, you learn a LOT about yourself. You also open up the opportunity to engage in a conversation with a highly educated, super interesting person!  With so many teachers I regularly talk to (especially elementary school), they often describe how frustrating it is to say the same thing over and over and over every day and feel like NO ONE IS LISTENING!  Can you relate?

And to be honest, many close friends and family are often a bit tired of hearing about 1. Job challenges, 2. How tired you are, 3. How much your feet hurt, 4. How unfair {X} is, 5. How David’s parents won’t call you back (and the list goes on and on…)

Talk to new people. Be genuinely interested in them and what they do.  And I mean be REALLY interested in them…. I can’t tell you how many people I met who did really awesome things in their personal and/or professional life that I was able to convince, bribe, BEG to come in to share their knowledge and experiences with my students (for example, Paralympic skier, engineer/skydiver, banker who taught my students about basic ‘money stuff’ and safely using a credit card, and SO many more!). 

Actually… I didn’t have to try too hard. Many people are honestly pretty excited about helping the next generation and were usually very willing to come in and talk with my students. And don’t take this the wrong way but your students will really appreciate the days when there’s a guest. Novelty and a break in the usual routine is a great thing!

Photo by Alexis Brown

Tip #3: Learn Something NEW

As a former math teacher, I remember eating, breathing, sleeping … TEACHING.  Is this healthy? NOOOOOO… As I mentioned before, the people you love most in life are probably not really that excited to hear yet another story about your day and your ‘kids’, ya know?  Learning NEW things makes your life more interesting, allows you to have different conversations, and it makes you better balanced and healthier. 

I completely understand that this could be tough during the school year. However, if you’re one of the lucky teachers who has a bit of time this summer, think of something you’ve always wanted to do (horseback riding, canoeing, learning to sew, cooking class…).  Then, figure out a way to book a class or session and get started!

It’s incredible how learning new things is such a HUGE part of our overall well-being and happiness. As humans, we crave learning.  Think back to any time you’ve spent with young kids… there’s nothing better than figuring something out and learning something NEW. You will ignite a fire within you, have more passion and fire in your heart, and will FEEL fulfilled and inspired.

Photo by Marylou Salon

Tip #4: Do some Yoga

I don’t even have to say this again but everyone KNOWS teaching is a stressful job.  Stress can get trapped in the body. And when this happens … Hello sickness. Hello disease. Hello terrible immune system. 

Goodbye HEALTH and ENERGY.

Yoga is a great friend to every teacher. It can help the body process the ‘baggage’ from everyday work and help you stay healthier and way more HAPPIER. 

First, start with Child’s Pose and hold this pose for a few breaths to help stretch your hips, thighs and possibly relieve any neck and back pain. This pose is also really helpful for fighting fatigue as well as resetting and re-centering your mind and body (helping you feel more balanced and grounded).  

To safely get into this pose, follow the steps below.

1. From Tabletop pose (resting on your hands and knees), spread your knees apart and touch your toes together. 
2. Push back so you’re sitting on your heels. If your hips feel tight, keep your knees and thighs a little closer together.
3. Bow forward so your heart and chest are resting on your thighs and rest your head on the floor. If you’d like, you can place a small pillow or rolled up blanket underneath your head or even underneath your feet.
4. Keep your arms long and extended next to your side (hands are near your feet) with your palms facing down.

Hold this pose for a few breaths or for as long as you feel comfortable.

Please note that there are MANY variations to the Child’s Pose (Balasana). If you’re not comfortable in this pose, please find a variation that you are comfortable with so that you can reap the benefits!

Photo by Simon Rae

Tip #5: Learn How to Use Tapping as a Quick Stress FIX

I can’t think of a better tool for processing stress in the moment in just a few seconds than EFT or Tapping. It can also be done in a way that no one knows what you’re doing (pretty awesome, right??). With all the educators I’ve worked with over the last few years, Tapping has always been one of the favorite tools. Great results in sometimes only a few seconds/minutes - YES PLEASE! 

The Tapping process is much more complex than this BUT let’s keep it super simple for now.  

Start tapping lightly on the top of your head.

Then, move to the following points - tapping on each point for a few seconds (about 2-3 deep breaths).

Inside of your eyebrow

Side of your eye

Under the eye

Under the nose

On your chin.

In the middle of your chest

Under your arm (doesn’t matter which arm)

Go back to tapping on the top of your head and repeat the process 3-4 times.

Common questions you may have:

Should I tap with one hand or both? Doesn’t matter- whatever you feel comfortable with.

Does it matter how long I stay on each point? Not really. You may find some points feel really good to you. Stay on those points for a little longer if you want. Aim for about 7-10 taps on each point but if you tap for longer, that’s completely fine.

What if I don’t feel any different? That’s ok! You can tap for longer if you want. You could also take a few deep breaths as you’re tapping to help move the stress through (and out!) of your body. Or, you can assume that the healing is happening on the inside and you may not be able to feel it right now

Photo by Fernando Brasil

These 5 tips can be REALLY helpful ways to find yourself again after a busy year of a ton of stuff to DO and barely any time to catch your breath.  Remember, the summer can be a great time for you to relax, reset, and find your happy again. Even though teaching can be stressful and so many teachers call it quits after a few years, YOU can excel at and actually ENJOY a career in education. Keeping your stress level down and making sure YOU are always emotionally and mentally healthy are great ways to ensure you’re making a difference in the life of your students for many years to come!