• Self-care tips for teachers during COVID-19.
How to alleviate anxiety and reduce the negative effects of stress on your health.
Teaching can be a very stressful profession, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are, however, steps you can take to help cope with job pressures and manage stress levels.
Returning to the classroom as a teacher may make you feel fearful, nervous, or anxious, especially if you believe COVID-19 precautions are not being fully implemented in your school. You may be concerned about how to protect your and your family's health, exhausted from juggling work and family obligations, and concerned about how to best assist your students in making up for lost learning during school closures.
Here are some strategies for dealing with anxiety and reducing the negative impact of these stressors on your health:
Coping Ways:
If you recognise signs of stress and how they affect various aspects of your well-being, you can put some simple strategies in place to improve your mental health and well-being. Connecting with people who support you, asking for help from school administration or professionals, becoming more physically active, learning new things, and remembering the simple things that bring you joy are all examples of this.
While everyone reacts differently to stress, people often fare better in the long run if they:
• Feel secure, connected to others, calm, and optimistic.
• Regain control by being able to assist themselves.
• You should have access to social, physical, and emotional support.
What exactly is burnout?
Burnout is one of the negative consequences of accumulated stress. Burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged exposure to job stressors or emotionally demanding work situations. It is emotional exhaustion, which can lead to a diminished sense of personal accomplishment.
Burnout manifests itself in a variety of physical and emotional symptoms, including:
• Decreased performance.
• Most of the time, I'm tired.
Sleeping difficulties or oversleeping.
• Problems with concentration and memory.
• decision-making incapacity.
• Empathy deficit.
• Tension in the muscles.
• More frequent illness, headaches, or stomach upset.
• Restlessness.
If you identify with any of these symptoms, or if you notice them in a coworker or friend, it could be a sign of being on the verge of or burned out. It's a sign that it's time to take a breather, seek support from colleagues, loved ones, and school administration, and prioritise self-care. If you believe you require additional assistance, do not hesitate to seek assistance from a professional who can assist you in prioritising self-care and learning how to manage stress.
What exactly is self-care?
"The ability of people, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider," according to the World Health Organization.
Self-care is any activity that we do on purpose to care for our mental, emotional, and physical health. Although it is a simple concept, it is one that we frequently overlook. Self-care is essential for improved mood and reduced anxiety. A self-care activity can be as simple as sitting down to enjoy a cup of tea, listening to music, or going for a walk. Consider some simple activities that will re-energize you. Determine and implement any forms of self-care that work for you.
Self-care should be something you actively plan for, rather than something that happens to you. Put certain activities on your calendar, tell others about your plans to increase your commitment, and actively seek out opportunities to practise self-care. See if you can incorporate self-care activities into your workday with the help of school administration or coworkers.
Self-care is essential for avoiding burnout!
Prioritizing one's own well-being is a necessity, not a luxury.
Hope and Wellbeing
It is critical to remind yourself and your students that you have power over various aspects of your life and that you can effect change. When you're going through a rough patch, it can be difficult to believe that things will get better. When we are hopeful, we are more likely to focus on change, look to the future, and actively seek solutions to the problems we may face.
It is critical to remember that you are not alone and that others can play a significant role in assisting us in practising self-care. Keep an eye out for signs of stress and burnout in yourself and those around you, and prioritise your own well-being and self-care. Seek help from others, such as friends, family, colleagues, or professionals, to help you maintain your self-care strategies.
Teachers must schedule time for self-care.
Too many people work until they can't anymore, or they dismiss rest and sleep as unimportant. It is critical to consider rest as a necessary tool for overall well-being.
Resting can be as simple as turning off the lights in your classroom after your students have gone. Alternatively, try to limit your time spent online and on social media. Many people spend a lot of time throughout the day checking their phones – perhaps you can replace one or two of those checking times with silence and stillness, or getting out into the fresh air alone or with a colleague. Spending less time checking your devices and e-mails can improve your energy level as well as your ability to focus and concentrate.
Consider what you can let go of to make room for self-care. Saying no becomes critical at this point, and you may need to reassess your workload. Perhaps your work or school activities are becoming overwhelming or unmanageable, and you need to discuss this with school administration, family, or coworkers. Is it possible to say no to certain activities? Can you set or reinforce some boundaries at work or at home?
• Include self-care in your daily routine. For example, as soon as your students leave the classroom at the end of the day, take 60 seconds to clear your mind and energise yourself for the rest of the day's activities.
• New habits can be difficult to form at first, so prioritising self-care activities is critical if you want self-care to become a regular part of your life.
• Eat healthily, get enough sleep, and exercise on a regular basis.
• Every day, engage in an activity that you enjoy or find meaningful.
• Take some time out of your day to talk about your feelings with a friend or family member.
• Talk to your colleagues about how you're feeling about teaching during the pandemic, and see if you can come up with ways to support everyone's well-being as a group.
• As much as possible, establish a routine at home and at school.
• Avoid using substances that temporarily alter your mood or energy level in excess (such as caffeine, alcohol or nicotine).
• Make a list of the positive things that happened that day at the end of each day.
• Remind yourself on a daily basis to let go of things over which you have no control.
• Throughout the day, take regular breaks.
• Remind yourself on a daily basis to let go of things over which you have no control.
• Throughout the day, take regular breaks.
• Limit your time spent following COVID-19 news to no more than 30 minutes per day. Make sure to rely on reputable organisations such as the World Health Organization and UNICEF.
Make your own list of self-care practises that you will use, whether you are drinking tea, listening to music, or going for a walk.
It is not always easy to develop self-care practises. However, it is critical to pay attention to your body and recognise that taking time to care for and look after yourself is not selfish. Prioritizing one's own well-being is a necessity, not a luxury. To prioritise self-care, you will need the support and understanding of friends, family members, colleagues, and school administration. You may even be able to benefit from professional assistance.
When you have a lot on your plate, it's easy to overlook the importance of taking care of yourself, but when you're at your best, you can help those around you, including your students.
Reference : Unicef
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