Taking Time for You: Self-Care as A Teacher

Journaling is meant for you, the teacher, because you deserve to set aside time for yourself.

By giving yourself Permission to Pause and taking a few minutes or more each day to focus on the present, you gain clarity on your priorities and unravel what is worth nurturing and what you need to release in your life.

The power of writing can help you learn, inspire, and grow.

Journaling provides the perfect channel for introspection. Writing, even for only a few minutes a day, helps you be more present for the rest of the day.

It cultivates a sense of awareness, calmness, and purpose. It boosts creativity. It can help you cope with stress and anxiety. It can improve sleep, memory, organization, and communication skills.

Journaling offers a private zone for looking back, being present, and looking forward. Writing about challenges can help you process them; writing about achievements can help boost your self-esteem.

You may start to appreciate things you didn’t notice before, and these discoveries can help you grow into the kind of teacher and person you want to be.

Here are 5 journal prompts to get you started. Be sure to spend time with each question and really search your heart for the answer.

1. How has education changed in the last year? How can I adapt to the changes?

2. How can I foster positive relationships with students, parents, colleagues, and administration?

3. How do I feel about balancing my time between school and home? In what areas do I need to give more attention?

4. What goals have I set for myself? What steps can I take toward accomplishing my goals?

5. We all have doubts. What are my doubts, and how can I overcome them?