It’s Back to School Season! Preparing Mentally and Physically for the Upcoming School Year
Written by Abena Sey
August 11, 2024
As back to school season approaches, it’s time to get mentally and physically prepared for the start of the year. Through a little reflection and planning you can create a positive school start wherein you feel ready, rejuvenated and excited to get back into your school routine. Here are some tips on what you can do to prepare yourself now for organization, wellness and healthy relationships to help you thrive as a teacher.
Make a list of the items you need to achieve your goals. Think about the items that you need to work on your wellness goals. Do you need a water bottle, lunchbox, food storage containers, or travel mug? Will you keep a pair of running shoes at school to get in extra steps walking during your break or after school? Is your goal to read books or listen to audiobooks for pleasure or personal development? What books will you choose and when can you read them? Think about items that you need to work on your organization goals. Do you need a planner and stationary? Do you need storage organizing tools to keep items readily accessible? Do you need a new lanyard or school bag? What other items do you need to help you feel joyful at school? Are there decorative pieces that would brighten up your space?
Create a calm morning routine. List the tasks that you need to accomplish in the morning before getting to school. Consider things like your personal faith / wellness routine, hygiene routine, nutrition, care for children or pets (if applicable), and your commute. How much time do you need to accomplish these tasks? How early do you need to wake up? What can you do in advance to save time? Who can help you with some of these tasks? Are there things you need to purchase to help you achieve your goals? Plan how you will structure your mornings to start your day on the right note. A calm morning routine sets the tone for your day.
Create a peaceful evening routine. You can use the same considerations as above to structure a peaceful evening and bedtime routine. Make getting enough sleep for your health and wellness a priority. As mentioned above, plan how you will structure your evenings to achieve your tasks. What can you do in advance to save time? Who can help you with some of your tasks? Are there things you need to purchase to help you achieve your goals? You may also want to consider what tasks need to be reduced or eliminated from your evening so that you can attain peace.
Set boundaries on your time. Decide how you will use your prep time before, during and after school. Be intentional about how you will use that time. Decide on discretionary tasks that you’d like to remove from your schedule and ones you'd like to explore that help you towards your personal and professional goals. Set a time limit for each task and don’t beat yourself up if a task doesn’t get finished in that time period. You can always work on it the next day. Teachers need this friendly reminder to avoid burning out.
Organize your spaces. Consider how the various spaces in your life could be re-organized or decluttered to bring order and peace of mind. These areas could be: your desk, teacher bag, lunchbox, gym bag (if applicable), car, locker, diaper bag (if applicable), and / or your children’s backpacks (if applicable).
Foster positive relationships. Everyone needs a teacher bestie. This is someone who may or may not work directly with you, but can relate to you and the various experiences you’ll have as a teacher. This is not someone who gossips, but someone who remains respectful and non-judgemental about information shared and offers a listening ear, advice and perspective to support you. If you are able to find such a person, be intentional about fostering that relationship. Reciprocate their kindness. Take the time to visit with your teacher bestie. Participate in healthy activities together, such as going for walks or creative endeavors.
Seek a professional community to keep you motivated in your work and inspired to try new ideas in your classroom. Write down your professional goals. Keep up to date with trends in education and continue to grow by learning and taking on new challenges that support your professional goals.
Planning in these seven areas can help you feel more prepared for the start of the school year and help you manage your physical health and wellness during the year. If you get off track, don’t be discouraged. Pause, reflect and get back on track. Evaluate the areas that are preventing you from progressing and make a plan to address them. Create systems and routines that work for you.
Have an amazing school year!