Tag: rest

Maintaining professional stability through daily balance

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No matter our role in public education the work is heavy. From a grade level, core or elective classroom teacher, to instructional coach, school or district leader, the ongoing effort is often significant. Maintaining a healthy balance is necessary but all too often overlooked by far too many in our profession.

Maintaining this balance is tough, but can and should be made a priority.

I’ve blogged about balance in the past but am going to dig deeper in this post. The past several years, I have made stability in my daily life throughout the work week, weekends and breaks a daily priority. This priority is three pronged.

  1. Rest. Sleep should be a priority. For me 8 hours is the daily goal. If that means I have to sacrifice a little tv time during the work week, so be it. My health is paramount. Production is so improved once you’re fully rested. Far too many of us do not get nearly enough rest. There is so much research on the importance of daily on our overall health but below is a great article from a few years ago from the University of Michigan on the topic — https://sph.umich.edu/pursuit/2020posts/why-sleep-is-so-important-to-your-health.html

2. Nutrition. I haven’t been sick in years. Legit years. I know without a doubt nutrition along with the above rest and what’s below are a big part of that. I grew up eating pretty healthy and this has been maintained throughout adulthood as a priority. Getting daily amounts of fruits, veggies, etc. and avoiding fatty foods at almost all costs have been so helpful to my all-around well being. CDC research certainly backs this up — https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/about-nutrition/why-it-matters.html

3. Fitness. I’m a bit fanatical about this but blocking off 60-90 minutes per day for cardio, core and/or weight training is a must for me. Completely blocked off from the outside world with phone being in an entirely other room to avoid distractions and focus on the fitness. Even on my rest day most weeks I’m doing some sort of scheduled fitness – usually at least a low impact class on the Peloton. This is is a mindfulness game changer and helps keep me as sharp mentally as physically. Mayo Clinic research backs this up fully — https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389

Within our profession pour so much into others every single day. It is vital we pour so much into ourselves and our overall well being, too. That’s the least we can do for our body.

Unplug, unwind, relax and recharge

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No matter your role in education there is one constant – the work is tough. Consuming, involved, detailed and challenging are all words that could easily describe the overarching work we collectively do on a daily basis. Rewarding, inspirational, exciting and engaging are all words that could describe the work as well.

No matter your aspect in this work whether an elementary classroom teacher, central office administrator, high school counselor or middle school assistant principal, you’re constantly on – pedal to the metal from August to June when the school year ends.

As connected educators sometimes we never slow down. Even those of us working all or part of the summer sometimes don’t take time to slow down, cut off and self-care. We’re always learning, growing, reading, blogging, PDing, etc. on top of other professional obligations. I know this because I’m often guilty of such as well year after year.

This year I put a stop to that. The month of July — I all but cut off. Very little tweeting, no blogging, no professional reading, a month related to self-care. Why? I knew when August 1 came it was going to be pedal to the metal. Nonstop until the end of the school year. The blogging would come (here it is!) the professional literature, books, resources, tweeting, Twitter chats, vlogs, etc. would all be there to enhance the work.

The value of self-care is well documented by a wide variety of extremely reputable resources:

https://psychcentral.com/blog/self-care-living-life-according-to-your-values/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/payout/2017/09/19/practicing-self-care-is-important-10-easy-habits-to-get-you-started/

 

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Spending several days on my family’s farm in Ohio away from the hustle and bustle of the fast-paced world of the city and our profession personifies being cut-off. Peaceful. Calm. The above photo captures the essence of that. The learning, growing and work will be there. At the end of the day when we have time to invest in ourselves we need to do such. I’m grateful I have and encourage my brothers and sisters in education to do more of this. I’m all for professional growth, but I’m also for the value of self-care as well. Sometimes we fail as the later. Its vital we invest in that too.

We live in a fast paced world and work in a profession that is rapid as well. This requires us to be on – ongoing. Cutting off, resting and relaxing for a full month has been incredible. I’ve continued being on during my time off many times before. This go around I’m so thankfully for cutting off because I’m completely refreshed and recharged. Ready to take on the 2018-19 academic year like none other!