At this time of the year: the weather changes, there’s less daylight, and we constantly engage in battles against different sicknesses. It is also around the month of December where teachers (and student-teachers alike) start to feel the toll of the last 4 months or so of school. We are tired. We are running on fumes til winter break. Between the germs and the day-to-day drain of redirecting all day, it is easy for our mental health to take a decline. It is natural for teachers around this time of year to begin to feel burnt out and exhausted both mentally and physically. However, mental health plays a large role in effective teaching. With this in mind, it is important that we nurture our mental health outside of the classroom so that our performance within is to the best of our abilities. Taking care of your mental health is an invisible part of the teacher job description that happens to be one of the most crucial aspects of the job. Now, taking care of your mental health is a completely PERSONAL process. Yes, you can have similar ways of managing your mental health as someone else, but it truly comes down to whatever makes you feel safe, comfortable, and calm.
Here are some tips to think about when finding what nurtures your mental health!
Find activities that make you HAPPY!
Past hobbies are a great start for rekindling your mental health.
Although mental health is personal, this doesn’t mean you have to go at it alone! Finding someone to bond with through mental health practices can be helpful.
There’s no shame in what makes you feel like you! Find activities that you enjoy, and
Never feel guilty about it.
Overall, mental health plays such a big role in the world of teaching. Now more than ever it is
important to keep our mental health in check in order to be able to aid our students each day. It
is never too late to begin finding your special mental health practices!