It’s that time of year again. After enjoying a relaxing summer break, stress levels often skyrocket with the return to a busy school calendar.
If you’re like me, you probably spent the summer enjoying slow mornings—waking up without an alarm, sipping your coffee at a leisurely pace, and spending quality time with family and friends. But once September rolls around, time for those comforting routines feels almost non-existent.
Transitioning into the hectic pace of the school year is tough. That’s why prioritizing teacher self-care and protecting your mental health is more important than ever. Of course, maintaining a healthy work-life balance as a teacher is easier said than done!
To help you thrive instead of just survive this school year, here are five practical self-care tips for teachers to help you transition back to your school routine.
1. Stay Active (Even with a Busy Schedule)
During the summer, my schedule is much calmer, making it easy to stay consistent with exercise. I love taking morning spin and yoga classes. But once school starts, morning workouts are out of the question—I am definitely not the type of person who can wake up at 5:00 AM to hit the gym!
While I miss my structured summer fitness classes, I adjust my routine to fit my school schedule by focusing on low-prep movement—both indoors and out.
Here are a few manageable ways to stay active without burning out:
- Take a quick post-school walk: Spending 20 minutes outdoors after contract hours helps me decompress, soak up some Vitamin D, and clear my head. (Pro-tip: If the weather isn’t cooperating, walk laps through the school hallways before heading home!)
- Explore outdoor hobbies: Whenever you have free time on weekends, try hiking, biking, kayaking, or swimming. Hiking is especially great because it gets you into nature without requiring expensive gear.
- Try relaxing indoor activities: Movement doesn’t have to mean traditional gym workouts. Unwind with low-impact indoor hobbies like painting, experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, indoor gardening, or following a gentle home yoga video.
Teacher Tip: Don’t stress about maintaining an intense workout regimen. Focus on simple, enjoyable ways to keep your body moving and your stress levels low.
2. Learn the Power of Saying “No”
Learning to say “no” is easily the most valuable lesson I’ve learned in my many years of teaching.
Administrators, students, parents, and colleagues present an endless list of requests throughout the year. Whether it’s chaperoning a school dance, joining a new committee, or advising an after-school club, people will always ask you to do more.
While helping out can be rewarding, taking on too much is a fast track to teacher burnout.
Advice for New Teachers:
If you are a beginner teacher, protect your time fiercely! You already have your hands full with lesson planning, grading, and classroom management. Empower yourself to set firm professional boundaries early on.
Limiting extra extracurricular obligations to just one or two commitments per semester leaves you with enough time and energy to care for yourself. Remember: “No” is a complete sentence.
3. Prioritize Your Sleep Routine
Switching from a flexible summer sleep schedule to early school-day wake-ups is brutal. To avoid starting the school year exhausted, focus on establishing a night routine that promotes restorative sleep:
- Set a digital curfew: Turn off your cell phone and step away from the TV at least 30 minutes before bed to quiet your brain.
- Keep work out of the bedroom: Never grade papers or bring your work laptop into bed. Keep your sleeping space a sanctuary for relaxation.
- Unwind naturally: Try reading a chapter of a book, listening to soothing music, taking a warm bath, or practicing deep breathing.
If you struggle with bedtime anxiety or insomnia on school nights, guided meditation apps like Calm or Headspace can do wonders to quiet a racing mind.
4. Continue Summer Hobbies (and Adapt for New Seasons)
In the summer, I love tending to my small garden of fresh tomatoes and herbs, and taking my dog out for afternoon drives. Once the school year kicks into high gear, it’s easy to neglect those simple joys—which only leads to feeling resentful toward work.
To boost your mood and maintain your identity outside the classroom, consciously make space for your personal life:
- Maintain small daily routines: Dedicate 10 minutes a day to a grounding activity—like watering your indoor plants, walking your pet, or reading a few pages of a book before starting your prep work.
- Pivot as the weather changes: When colder, darker months arrive, lean into seasonal hobbies. Swap summer gardening for winter baking, trade outdoor sports for joining a Fantasy Football league or a monthly book club, or start a Cozy Crafting night at home.
- Delegate and share the load: You don’t have to manage the entire household on top of teaching! Ask family members or partners to step in—whether that means sharing dinner duty, taking turns on grocery runs, or having the kids handle evening chores.
- Focus on simple, nourishing meals: You don’t need elaborate dinners every night. Keep meal prep simple with slow-cooker recipes, meal kits, or batch-cooking fresh local ingredients over the weekend to keep your energy up during the week.
5. Pamper Yourself & Simplify Your Teaching Workload
Between back-to-school nights, open houses, and endless grading, the first few months of the school year feel overwhelming. A little self-indulgence goes a long way toward honoring your self-worth. Treat yourself to a manicure, a massage, or simply an uninterrupted hour with your favorite book.
Work Smarter, Not Harder
Self-care also means working smarter in your classroom. When you are struggling to find an engaging activity for a tricky concept—or when you need a fast substitute lesson plan because you are sick—don’t reinvent the wheel!
Utilizing pre-made, high-quality teaching resources and printables created by fellow teacher-authors can save you hours of prep time. Prioritizing your health over working late hours isn’t selfish—it’s smart professional practice.
Occasionally, during extra busy weeks, I struggle to practice self-care more than usual weeks. Sometimes, I’m in a bind to find an engaging lesson for a new concept I’m teaching, or I need a good substitute lesson plan for when I don’t feel well. (Stay home when you’re sick. No one benefits from sick teachers in school.)
Final Thoughts: You Can’t Pour From an Empty Cup
Teachers are notoriously generous with their time, often at the expense of their physical and mental health. But overtired, burnt-out teachers are more vulnerable to illness and exhaustion. By protecting your well-being, you ultimately become a more dynamic, patient, and effective educator for your students.
Over to You:
What are your favorite ways to practice self-care and maintain work-life balance during the school year? I’m always looking for fresh ideas, so please share your thoughts in the comments below!
One Comment
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