At Teacheroo, we understand wellbeing is paramount for both personal happiness and professional success. That’s why we encourage teachers to talk about all facets of life as a professional teacher – including exchanging everyday ideas and long-term strategies that enhance mental health and ensure a joyful, stress-free work experience. We also love to seek out and share ways for teachers to find extra support and professional advice about teacher self-care. Read on if you are in need of a boost and some teacher wellbeing inspiration.
Apps
In search of wellbeing? Yes, there’s an app for that. Quite a few, in fact: from how to meditate to the sound of seagulls to recipe ideas for a serene digestive system. One of our favourites is the dedicated teacher and staff app from Life On Time. One of its main goals is to give teachers the skills to self-regulate their emotions and stay fit and healthy. It also makes it easier to create schedules so you can stay organised – a great way to reduce stress and protect mental health.
Music
Listening to music – and even singing along in the shower – is a great way to lighten the mood (we recommend Bruno Mars), expend pent-up emotions (Outer Heaven, if you dare) or simply drift into a feeling of calmness (Debussy, of course). From Spotify to Deezer to Apple Music, there are more musical streaming platforms than members in a K-Pop group, but whichever one you choose be sure to take time to create your personal playlists. You can match these to the mood you’d like to experience during a meditation period or energetic workout.
Podcasts
Tuning in to a podcast also means tuning out of your physical environment – giving you the time and space to enjoy life-affirming lessons in self-care. Teacher Wellbeing is a podcast created especially for educators and school staff. One of its primary aims is to kickstart the conversation around wellbeing. There are several different chapters that inspire and empower. If you’re in the mood to take control of health and happiness by being proactive about your wellbeing, this is well worth a listen.
Books
In a world of super-fast interconnectivity, where we’re expected to be plugged in and switched on at all times, sometimes you can’t beat a good, old-fashioned paperback for a moment of calm. We highly recommend The Teacher Self-Care Manual: Simple Self-Care Strategies for Stressed Teachers by Patrice Palmer. Easy to read and always straight to the point, Patrice offers practical advice gleaned from more than 20 years of experience in frontline education.
Online resources
There is increasing recognition about the importance of fostering health and wellbeing in the workplace in order to create an atmosphere where individuals and organisations can thrive. And there are some wonderful resources online specifically for those working in education. Education Support, for example, provides resources that cover everything from achieving the right work-life balance to the Teacher Wellbeing Index 2020, with its detailed analysis of the mental health and wellbeing of teaching professionals across the UK.
YouTube
As well as cats playing the piano, YouTube is a wonderful place to find inspiring videos that help teachers get the most from their profession with awesome life hacks. It is also home to sage advice for relaxing and taking care of emotional and mental wellbeing. The 2020 Teachers of the Year Video is a great example of peers sharing ideas on how they take care of themselves in and out of the workplace. Tune in and discover how they find happiness in the great outdoors, dabbling in art and the power of music.
What are your top teacher wellbeing tips? Do you make time to rest and recharge? It’s important to champion the importance of teacher self-care.
Join 461 other teachers in the Teacher Wellbeing group on Teacheroo here >
