Self-Care Tips for Teachers
Let’s talk about something we, as teachers, often overlook—taking care of ourselves. I know, it’s easy to get caught up in lesson planning, grading, and all the other responsibilities that come with teaching, but the truth is, if we’re not taking care of ourselves, it’s hard to show up as our best selves for our students. In this post, I want to share some practical teacher self-care tips and strategies that not only help you feel better but also improve your classroom management. After all, a happy, balanced teacher leads to a happy, balanced classroom! So, let’s dive into three powerful strategies you can start using right now to take care of yourself and boost your teaching game.
Impact of Self-Care on Classroom Management
Before we get into the tips and strategies, I really want to take a step back to discuss the impact of teacher self-care on your classroom management on beyond. Early in my career, I didn’t really have any systems at place. I found myself overwhelmed with endless lesson planning and piles of grading. It felt like teaching consumed every aspect of my life and I could never get ahead. While I was a passionate teacher, I started feeling the toll: stress, catching every cold, and a negative mindset that impacted my teaching.
On one particular day, stressed and overwhelmed, I entered the classroom already in a bad mood. As a result, my lessons suffered, my patience wore thin, and I was snappy about every little thing my students did, which I felt began to increase. Reflecting later that day, I realized my attitude, not my students, directly influenced my classroom atmosphere and management. I didn't want to become a burned-out teacher who lost their passion for teaching so at that moment, I decided that some things needed to change…
I learned that self-care is key to effective classroom management. Why you ask? Well, classroom management, is a set of systems that we have in place, right? And I look at my Classroom Management Framework with each system as each own piece of a puzzle. We've got all these puzzle pieces that go together that fit into that big umbrella of classroom management, but self-care is a piece of that too. However, it’s not really its own piece, rather self-care is like the glue that holds it all together. So, when we don't take care of ourselves, then even if we have the greatest classroom management systems in place, it just might not stick. Because when we’re stressed, exhausted, and running on empty, our energy tanks are depleted, making it nearly impossible to be the calm, consistent, and the present teachers our students need.
Strategies for Teacher Self-Care
1. Time Management
It might not sound like a typical self-care strategy, but teacher time management strategies can do wonders for your stress levels.
Here’s the thing—time is precious. It’s the one thing we can’t get more of. Early on, I struggled with this, often staying late at school and bringing work home. One of the best time management strategies I learned was being very INTENTIONAL with my time. I created a specific schedule that outlined exactly what I’d work each day during my prep periods and after-school contract time. Over time system kept me on task, more efficient, and more importantly, allowed me to leave school at a reasonable time.
In addition, setting boundaries for yourself is essential. This is another thing I would struggle with early in my career, and it wasn’t until we had our son, that I realized staying late at work just wasn’t going to work for me anymore. So setting a “cut off” time for your workday and stick with it the best you can. Setting boundaries also means saying “no” when your plate is already full. It’s okay to pass on that extra committee or after-school event if it means protecting your time and energy. Prioritizing tasks and maintaining these boundaries will help you focus on what truly matters—both in and out of the classroom.
2. Seeking Support
I get it—sometimes it’s easier to think, “I’ll just figure it out on my own.” But leaning on others when you need support is a form of self-care. In my first years of teaching, I didn’t have a grade-level team, so I was used to working solo. But I quickly realized that finding support is crucial to staying balanced and avoiding teacher burnout.
Reach out to a trusted colleague, a mentor, or even your admin when you’re feeling stuck. Ask for advice, share your struggles, and see how you can support each other. The key is to surround yourself with positive people. Negativity is infectious, as is positivity. So being intentional about finding those who lift you up and support you in finding solutions is essential. They’ll help you find your footing and keep you motivated, even on tough days.
This also extends to knowing when to take a day off. I know a lot of teachers (including myself in my early years) will say, “it’s just easier to go to work than to plan for a sub!” Well, I just don’t believe that to be the case anymore! If as mentioned earlier, you set up your systems right, including your actual lesson plans, anyone should be able to come into your classroom and pick up where you need them to. Will it be just the way you would have done it? Well maybe not…but it’s so much more important to take care of yourself! You need to be at your best to give your best. So, if you’re not feeling well, support yourself by taking that time to rest and recharge. Lean on your colleagues to help bridge the gap, and you’ll come back stronger and ready to tackle your classroom again.
3. Cultivating a Positive Mindset
Your mindset sets the tone for the entire day. Remember that particular day when I walked into the classroom already feeling irritable and drained? Like I said, my mood directly impacted my students’ behavior and engagement. It was a tough day for all of us, but when I reflected on it later, I realized it wasn’t my students’ fault—it was my own mindset that set us up for failure that day.
Cultivating a positive mindset is one of the most powerful teacher self-care tips you can implement. Start each day fresh, even if the previous one was a disaster. Give yourself grace and know that it’s okay to have rough days. The key is not to let those rough days turn into a permanent state of mind. When you walk into your classroom, take a deep breath, set a positive intention for the day, and focus on what’s going right.
Also, remind yourself that “good enough” really is good enough. You don’t have to be perfect. Trying to juggle everything and be the perfect teacher will only lead to burnout. Accept that some days you’ll be more on top of things than others, and that’s okay. Give yourself permission to be human.
Final Thoughts: Self-Care is the Glue That Holds Everything Together
I truly believe that teacher care is the glue that holds all of our classroom management systems together. Without it, even the best strategies and techniques will fall apart. By implementing these teacher self-care tips, you’re not only taking care of yourself but also creating a better learning environment for your students.
I hope you found these strategies helpful! Take care of yourself, and happy teaching!
