Have you ever binge watched TV only to find yourself still tired, exhausted and depleted? Me too. Do you ever wonder why? What actually qualifies as self-care?
In the next six blog posts, we'll breakdown what self-care actually means, self-care activities, and the types of self-care.
Teaching and leading is physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. Educators know they need to take care of themselves, but often continue to put others first. They neglect themselves. To top it off, self-care is a buzz word that is often misunderstood and equates to one more thing to do.
That couldn't be farther from the truth.
Self-care is necessary for educators to maintain good mental health.
The following excerpt is from my book Be Their Warrior : " Self-care isn't self-indulgence. So often, we think it is. But unlike self-care, self-indulgent activities don't have lasting benefits. While self-care helps promote long-term health, self-indulgent habits are things like binge-watching TV or eating too much junk food, and they don't enhance our health (Waterford, 2021).
The definition of self-care is any action that you use to improve your health and well-being. According to the National Institute of Mental Illness ([NAMI], Waterford, 2021), there are six elements to self-care:
Physical
Psychological
Emotional
Spiritual
Social
Professional
A STRONG educator mindset encompasses the six components of self-care. As educators, self-care is essential more now than ever before for multiple reasons."
Self-care is a systematic habit instead of one more thing to do.
Self indulgent and self soothing activities definitely have their place. I do them. However, they are not to be confused with self-care. Self-care is a proactive plan that improves your overall health and wellbeing.
If you're not sure of your self-care needs, be sure to take this quiz and read the next posts in this series.
In the next six blog posts, we'll explore one self-care category/element a week. I'll break each category down into actionable steps and show you how to start and stay S T R O N G for your students and all the people in your life that you love and lead.
You make a difference!
💕Pamela
This article is part 1 of a 7 part blog series.
You can read the others here:
Self-Care Demystified: What is Self-Care & Why is it Important?
Psychological Self-Care- Educator Self-Care Activities that Provide Maximum Mental Health Results
Disclaimer: I'm not a therapist or counselor. I'm just passionate about busting through burnout because I've burned out while teaching & leading. Now, I'm on a mission to prevent others from going through what I went through. I want better for you. 😊🌟😊
Learn about being STRONG & how to cultivate life-changing relationships with families and students in my new book. I share personal student stories and strategies for cultivating culture and community rooted in relationships. It's centered around amplifying all students' potential and unshakeable relationships that raise student achievement. Click here or the image to go to Amazon. 😃
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