How to thrive as a teacher? That’s the million-dollar question on the lips of many educators. Read to find 7 helpful tips on how to thrive through the school year.
In this busy profession of teaching, it’s really important for you to stay positive and put your best foot forward to be able to thrive throughout the school year.
It’s going to take everything you’ve got! Are you ready?
All good plans…
The story is the same at the start of every school year – You have all the positivity and energy in the world.
Of course, you have – you’ve just had this amazing summer holiday and the much needed time to rest and regenerate.
Your energy is boundless (we hope!) and you have some amazing ideas you’ll use with your students and you can’t wait to start.
The classroom looks awesome and you’re planned, ready to go!
But then, week one jolts you like a slap on the back.
You don’t know what hits you the most – all the meetings, the thinking about data and the pressure of how you’ll lift your new students reading levels. Or is it all of the tedious professional development and mundane school procedures for the new year set up?
It’s probably everything!
There’s no time to get your head around it all and your brain feels so overloaded and then the overwhelm starts!
Week 2 begins and your energy is already waning. Then, BAM! You’re sick.
I don’t want you to feel helpless here. But often this is the reality for us as busy teachers – well it was for me, at the beginning of the last school year.
So, to continue…
As the year progresses, your energy spirals downwards and so does your positivity, until there are no reserves left.
Or, if you’re like many others, you don’t even start the year with much energy – you’re so depleted as a teacher and you’ve been running on fumes for years.
I’ve had years where I’ve experienced both of these scenarios.
But for me, last year, I did begin excited with lots of energy. I felt positive and rearing to go. I’d rested enough on the holidays and I really felt inspired to do my best.
Then, if I’m honest, I was handed a tricky class.
The class was large, with 28 students. It was composed of many that needed my extra attention. Although, in retrospect, I don’t think I was emotionally or mentally prepared for what this entailed.
I’d done everything right – I was very organised, but I wasn’t prepared for the additional onslaught of the mental drain and burden this would place on my body.
I didn’t thrive at all, I only just survived!
Intentional plans on how to thrive as a teacher
For those seeking how to thrive as a teacher throughout the whole year, I believe you need to be careful to guard yourself emotionally and ensure you sustain your energy for all that teaching throws at you.
It’s up to YOU to do this.
This will need a consistent approach and be developed throughout the whole teaching year if you’re going to thrive – year-in, year-out – even just for this school year!
From my own experience of depletion as a burnt-out teacher, I want to share with you what I believe can help with how you can thrive as a teacher and how to tip-the-balance-in-favour of your wellbeing.
Now is not the time to be complacent about your personal health.
It’s time to be proactive and solutions-based.
So, here are my 7 strategies to help you maintain your energy and thrive as a teacher this year:
Psst! This is a guide for me to stick to too!
7 tips and tricks on how to thrive as a teacher
1. Get back to basics with self-care
Start with prioritising yourself with water, good food and plenty of sleep.
Related Articles:
8 Simple Habits of Self-Care for Teachers
Teachers: Enjoy the 7 Benefits of a Self-Care Bath Routine
Remember to fill up your water bottles before you go to school and pack your lunch box the night before with some healthy options for meals and snacks.
To be organised, ensure you buy healthy food when grocery shopping – fresh fruit and vegetables, so you have a range to choose from. I generally stick with meat and salad or vegetables, with soups and casseroles as a favourite in the winter.
For healthy snack options, I stick to lower carb choices to maintain my weight. Read here to get some ideas for some quick and easy snacks for teachers on the run.
And now for sleep. It’s one of those things that we often forget is so important for our health and should be a part of our self-care routine.
To get into the best position for good sleep, prepare yourself to wind down after a long, exhausting day. You can do this by planning a regular bedtime routine and throw in a relaxing bubble bath to help unwind.
This will help calm you to be ready to sleep soundly. If sleep doesn’t come straight away, because you’re so wired with thoughts, keep a notebook by your bed and write it all down. It will do wonders to declutter your mind.
Using a progressive deep muscle relaxation routine is also an awesome way to unwind and fall asleep.
Related Article: 8 Tips from Experts to Get the Best Night’s Sleep
2. Have a positive mindset
Being positive in your mindset can sometimes be difficult for busy teachers.
There is so much you could feel negative about in teaching with the frustration of all the things out of your control. But if you intentionally focus on the positives in your life, it can change your attitude for the better and help your wellbeing.
You will also probably need to ‘let things go’ more and intentionally stay away from the ‘sad sacks’ at your school, to help change your thinking and keep positive.
Working on your positivity will help you thrive and keep your energy up. And it might help to remember the old saying – “Grant me the strength to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
Related Articles:
How to Improve Teacher Wellbeing with Gratitude Journaling
The Benefits of Fostering a Growth Mindset for Teachers
3. Be productive with your time
When you’re at school, be clever with your time management. Don’t think you can just chat with other teachers in your breaks or after school, and you’ll be ok. This often makes you feel more fluster and disorganised.
Be polite to your co-workers, but diligently stick to your to-do list, because otherwise, you’ll either have to stay back late or work at home – not much fun for you or your family!
If you need a quick and easy To-Do List system which will make you much more efficient with your time Read here and get the FREE printable to-do list. It’s an awesome system to stop the disorganisation and the pile of sticky notes gathering on your laptop.
Use your holidays to reset your goal to thrive
To continue to be productive, on your holidays is a good time to reflect on how you’re going with your goals. Don’t feel discouraged if things aren’t working well. Use these times to reset, refresh and get back on track with your plan.
4. Have a work-smarter, not harder mentality
To keep your sanity and thrive throughout the year, it’s important that you have the mentality of working as smart as you can.
This means that you will need a growth mindset and be prepared for flexibility and also find smart ways to do your job.
You will need to keep learning and growing in the way you teach, the way you manage your classroom and the way you prioritise your wellbeing.
Related Article: How to Work Smarter, Not Harder as a Teacher
Get your FREE Working Smarter Productivity Booster Kit here:
5. Get support when you need it
As a professional, you know you are qualified to do what you’re doing, but what a lot of teachers don’t understand is that for teaching to be successful it takes a team. Collaboration with other colleagues will make teaching much easier.
Don’t get me wrong, you can survive by doing the job on your own, but to truly flourish and thrive, working in a team or with a supportive colleague, works much better.
The Queensland College of Teachers suggests some ways to get support:
- plan with other teachers, so you’re not ‘reinventing the wheel’
- take advantage of what other teachers have to offer
- ask for help when you need it
- ask for tips on writing reports
So if you are trying to be a lone wolf or an island, you might not be working as smart as you could.
Don’t think that you’re not capable if you have to ask for help. This is not a sign of weakness!!
Getting support can help you through the busy and stressful times and help you thrive instead of just surviving as a teacher.
6. Exercise
I know as a teacher you probably feel like you never sit down, but be sure to make time outside of school to get your heart rate up.
We all know that exercise is important to our health and wellbeing, but for teachers, who are under a great deal of pressure every day and the stress that comes with the job, it’s essential!
Regularly exercising, will help you to destress, clear your mind, boost your mood and build your energy.
It will also keep your body strong and healthy to cope with the busy pace of the teaching life.
Related Article: Healthy Teacher Tip: Easy Ways to Add Walking to Your Day
7. Stay Inspired
Inspiration is the food for your soul. Humans need to be inspired, especially teachers! Inspiration will help you to stay positive and keep you going.
Inspiration can come from many forms.
Often I use motivational or inspiring posters or funny memes to help keep my spirits up. I also use positive affirmations that I read every day to focus my thoughts and change my thinking.
Gratitude journaling is also a great way to help remind yourself about what you’re thankful for and help inspire you on your journey as a teacher.
You could also post reminders of why you love this crazy job – in your office at home or even in your classroom, to keep it in front of you and fresh in your mind.
Whatever feeds your soul and keeps you inspired, practice it regularly throughout the year, to give you energy and help you flourish as a busy teacher.
Related Article: How to Improve Teacher Wellbeing with Gratitude Journaling
I hope these 7 tips are a source of help to you, to be able to thrive as a teacher and push through to the end of the school year with more energy.
Good luck!
Remember you’re worth it!
Michelle
Leave a Reply