Summer is one of the best parts of the year. It’s your time to recharge, relax, and enjoy time with family and friends. To help you make the most of your time, I put together a summer bucket list full of fun and simple activities. You don’t need a fancy vacation to feel accomplished this summer (although that’s definitely a bonus!).

#1 – Reflect. Then Put It Away.

When summer first begins, you might find it hard to get your brain into summer mode. Reflecting on the school year can help you brain-dump all the thoughts swirling in your mind and allow you to fully embrace your free time. During this reflection, jot down the challenges and wins from the school year. You can also note any goals you have for next year.

Then, when it’s time to switch back into school mode, you can pull out this reflection sheet!

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As the school year comes to a close, it’s important to take time to reflect on the year and all of the growth and change that has happened. Use this end of the year reflection as a guide to look back on the year, acknowledge the challenges, celebrate your growth, and honor the connections you’ve made.

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Spilled milk, broken nails, coffee breath, pounding headaches, bad hair days, and germs galore. If you're a teacher, these situations and more are bound to happen. You know what they say, there's never a dull moment in the life of a teacher. Be prepared for anything teacher life throws at you with your own teacher emergency kit, packed with essentials to get you through.

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If Sunday nights fill you with dread- you know, that creeping feeling of anxiety as your weekend slips away and you feel the work week coming at you full speed- know that you’re not alone. A 2015 poll conducted by Monster.com reports that 76% of respondents in the U.S. confess to having “really bad” Sunday night blues. 

Maybe it's just a natural consequence of having a job with an overwhelming workload. Perhaps it's teacher's guilt for daring to have a private life. Who knows? One thing that is for sure is that it is absolutely okay to have boundaries around your personal time. They are essential not only for your physical health, but also your emotional well-being.

Enjoying your weekend- all the way through a good night's sleep Sunday evening- shouldn’t be out of reach. You DESERVE it! Read on for 5 tips to help you beat the Sunday night blues. 

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Why Self Care Is Important

First off, it is important to understand why self care is important and have a positive mindset around it. Self care doesn't have to be something over-the-top or expensive like going sky-diving or getting weekly spa treatments (even though that would be amazing!) Self care should be things that help ease your stress, make you feel good, and that you can do for YOU. Permission to take care of and spoil yourself…granted! 

Self care helps clear your mind, relieve your stress, and re-energize. By taking small steps each day to take care of yourself, you will see the benefits in every area of your life both at school and at home. Your energy, patience, productivity, happiness, and joy  will all be positively impacted!  

Schedule In Self Care

Just like you plan your lessons at school and write important events and dates down on the family calendar, you need to schedule in your self care, too! Writing it down or putting it in your digital calendar will hold you accountable to actually doing it. Think of it as a daily meeting with yourself! You wouldn't skip a staff meeting at work so don't skip a meeting with yourself either.

Communicate this schedule with your family so they are on board. If you choose to get in a little self care before everyone wakes up, let your spouse know so they can help the kids if they wake up early. Want to take a walk after school? Let your family know so they know when to expect you at home. You can even invite a coworker or friend to join you and help them get in their self care, too! Is your self care time in the evening before bed? Let your family in on that routine so they don't bother you while you are binging your latest novel series. 

Self Care Tips For Teachers

You might be thinking, “but I don't know how to do self care? What should I do?” I've got you covered with 8 self care tips for teachers! Read on and enjoy!

#1: Set boundaries.

Just because you’re in a helping profession doesn’t mean you have to be available every minute of every day, especially with parents. Set office hours like college professors do and communicate to them, “I will be available for 45 minutes before school starts and 45 minutes after the last bell every day.” Whatever you want that schedule to look like, set it in stone and let them know. Assure parents that their concerns and questions are very important to you and that you will do your best to respond in a timely manner. One of the most important self care tips for teachers is to protect your time.

#2: Stay on top of things.

Everyone talks about organization and it's time-saving capabilities, but it’s the honest truth. Being organized and on top of things brings consistency to your systems and routines and makes your workload more manageable. Stay as organized as you can on a daily basis. Cleaning up tiny issues every day is a lot less stressful than cleaning up a huge mess of issues once a week (or, as teachers are likely to do, on the weekend when they’re supposed to be resting and recharging)! Staying on top of things and using your planning time wisely takes discipline but pays off big time. So when that Friday bell rings and other teachers are still getting cleaned up and prepped for next week, you'll be out the door to enjoy your weekend!

#3: Prioritize (and put everything on your calendar). 

Prioritizing is an essential self care tip for teachers. Think deeply about your priorities and block out sections of your calendar for the work (and play) you need to get done. For instance, if your mental health desperately depends on you hitting the cycling class every Tuesday and Thursday at 5 pm, block it out! If you have a family dinner every Sunday night, block it out!  If you’re working on your masters and need study time, block it out! Of course things will always come up that require flexibility but do your best to put into writing the commitments that are most important to you and communicate them to your loved ones.

#4: Develop a support network.

Truth bomb…teaching is hard! Sometimes people outside of the profession just don’t get it. Develop a support network of colleagues you can vent to and brainstorm with. One of the best self care tips for teachers is to spend time outside of school with your teacher friends. It is not only relaxing, but they just “get it!” Treat yourself to chips & salsa after school on a Friday or coffee on a Saturday morning.

Tap into other teachers’ experiences to help you navigate workplace issues. Get the support you need to preserve your personal sanity. Keep your work life separate from your personal life as much as you can. You’ll find that you enjoy your down time much more. 

#5: Keep your social media private.

Many of us enjoy our social media as a way to unwind and veg out. The last thing we want is a Facebook message from a parent, colleague, or professional society to pop up right in the middle of the latest hilarious cat video or interrupt your quest for the funniest teacher meme. Set up a classroom Facebook page for classroom news and updates. Reserve your personal Facebook page for friends and family only. Do this for Snapchat, Instagram, etc. 

#6: Stay healthy.

Take care of your body! A healthy you is a happy you, so make sure you take care of your health. You only get one body to live in, so treat it like royalty!

• Sleep-Do a brain dump before bed to clear your mind and ease your nerves for what you might forget by morning.
• Exercise-Make it work for you by getting a 20-30 minute workout in or break it down into 10 minute increments throughout the day.
• Eat well- Stock up on easy to pack lunches and simple dinner recipes. If you don't mind leftovers, make enough at dinner so you can take a serving for lunch the next day. 2-for-1? I think, yes! Check out these healthy lunch ideas for teachers, too!
• Stay home if you're sick- Yes, even though it sometimes feels like preparing for a sub is more work than going to school sick, don’t do it! When you are under the weather, listen to your body and rest! This is where that organization will come in and make being away from school a lot less stressful.

#7: Feed outside interests.

Don’t forget about who you are as an individual and what you love! What fuels your soul? What hobbies do you love? Stay connected to these things, even if you can only devote 15 minutes a week to them. Sneak in a quick watercolor, read a couple of chapters of that book, take a quick spin on your bike, paint your nails, walk the dog. While you’re doing it, try your best not to let a single thought about work creep in. 

#8: Nurture primary relationships.

Although your job as an educator is super important, remember that at the end of the day it is still…a job. The truth is, it’s the people that love you and care about your well-being that give life its true meaning. Don’t let your work become so all consuming that it pushes your family and friends to the back-burner. There will always be more work, but those moments with your family and friends, you don't get those back. Be present in everything you do.

As teachers, we work hard. Every. Single. Day. It’s essential that we set boundaries and make priorities that allow us to take care of ourselves. Time to rest and replenish, time to do the things we love with the people we love. In the long run, taking care of ourselves makes us more balanced, well-rounded people, and gives us more energy to do the work we love. A teacher that fills their cup first has so much more to pour into the cups of their little learners. 

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On mornings like this, just making it out the door in one piece feels like a monumental task. Remembering to pack healthy, nutritious food to help you make it through the day feels like an impossibility!

We all know that fueling our bodies with a healthy mix of protein, fruits, vegetables and healthy carbs and fats is essential to our health and wellbeing. So here are a few healthy lunch ideas that you can prepare ahead of time to help you make it through the day.

I like to pick up all the ingredients I'll need on my Saturday morning grocery run. Then I do all my chopping and prepping on Sunday afternoons and store everything in plastic containers so that all I have to do is throw things together quickly each morning or even better- the night before.

Disclaimer: I make absolutely zero claims on being a trained chef, so the ideas listed below are not precise recipes, but general ideas to get you thinking about different ways to up your lunch game. Feel free to make eliminations or substitutions based on dietary restrictions and preferences.

Storing Your Healthy Lunch

Now I may not be a trained chef, but my husband would tell you that I can re-heat food like nobody's business. Around our house I am called “the master microwaver” My secret? These glass storage containers that I found on Amazon. But if you're like me, and you don't like your food to touch, these glass containers have separate compartments. Both of these have made such a difference in our meal prep!

I love the glass containers because they not only heat your food evenly, but they don’t warp, stain, or harbor germs like some plastic ones do. Bonus is they are BPA free! And I love how glass containers don't get hot like plastic ones.

My other secret is a wet paper towel. When you're re-heating the food, place a damp paper towel over the food before you put it in the microwave. The moisture from the paper towel keeps the food from drying out.

Healthy Lunch Ideas: Salads

A fresh salad is one of the easiest ways to get all those daily recommended portions of veggies and protein, which makes it .0one of the easiest healthy lunch ideas for teachers. And one of the beautiful things about salads is you can throw practically anything you have in the fridge into them and make a delicious meal. Try one of these salads:

Fiesta chopped salad

Combine torn romaine lettuce, corn kernels, diced tomatoes, black beans, diced avocado, diced red onion and shredded chicken breast. Toss with a cilantro lime ranch dressing.

Mediterranean salad

Layer sliced cucumbers, sliced tomatoes, sliced red onions, sliced red bell peppers, Kalamata olives, torn basil leaves and feta cheese. Toss with your favorite balsamic vinaigrette.

Harvest salad

Combine baby spinach leaves, chopped tomatoes, diced avocados, thinly sliced red onions, dried cranberries and crumbled blue cheese. Toss with a red wine vinaigrette.

Beet salad

A seasonal favorite. Layer baby lettuce leaves, sliced beets, walnut pieces and crumbled goat cheese. Toss with balsamic vinaigrette.

Balela salad

Amazing! Combine garbanzo beans, black beans, fresh mint, fresh parsley, chopped onion, diced grape tomatoes, minced garlic and minced jalapeno pepper. Toss the salad with fresh olive oil, salt and pepper and lemon juice.

Healthy Lunch Ideas: Wraps

Another simple way to stuff lots of nutritional value into a single meal. These make great healthy lunch ideas for teachers because you can make them so many different ways, which keeps lunch from getting boring. I like to use whole wheat flour tortillas, but other options include pita bread, naan, or corn tortillas. Try one of these wraps:

PB Banana wrap

Spread all-natural peanut butter (no added sugar) onto a whole wheat tortilla. Add slices of banana and any of these optional add-ins: honey, shredded coconut and/or granola.

Chicken Caesar wrap

Toss grilled chicken breast strips, romaine lettuce, tomatoes with low-fat creamy Italian dressing, then roll the mixture up in a tortilla.

Crispy veggie wrap

Spread low fat cream cheese on a spinach tortilla. Add layers of sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, red onions, red peppers and baby spinach leaves.

Hummus and prosciutto wrap

Spread hummus on a whole wheat tortilla. Then layer crispy baked slices of prosciutto with mozzarella cheese, sliced avocado, tomato and lettuce .

Horseradish steak wrap

Layer grilled steak strips with shredded lettuce and thinly sliced tomato. Garnish with horseradish mixed with non-fat mayo.

Healthy Lunch Ideas: Bowls

Another favorite on the list of lunch ideas for teachers! I love rice, so bowls are one of my favorite lunches to throw together. Again, you can pick almost any theme (Mexican, Mediterranean, etc.) and toss together a yummy meal that will get you through the day. Try one of these bowls:

Teriyaki chicken bowl

Toss teriyaki marinated chicken strips with brown rice, sesame seeds and thinly sliced steamed carrots.

Fajita bowl

Start with grilled onions and peppers and thinly sliced steak strips. Then layer in diced avocado, shredded low-fat cheese, lettuce, salsa and rice.

Taco bowl

Combine ground turkey taco meat, black beans, corn, salsa, low-fat cheese, lettuce, nonfat sour cream and rice for a fiesta level lunch.

Salmon bowl

Toss grilled salmon, brown rice, steamed asparagus spears together and garnish with a lemon vinaigrette.

Buddha bowl

Prepare quinoa using chicken broth, throw in roasted diced sweet potatoes and red onion slices, raw baby spinach leaves, diced avocado,  fresh cilantro, toasted sesame seeds and creamy peanut sauce.

Healthy Lunch Ideas: Breakfast for Lunch

My daughter loves whenever we had breakfast for dinner. Why not bring some of that excitement into your teaching day? These lunch ideas for teachers are easy to prep, chock full of good stuff. You can't lose with breakfast for lunch. Try one of these ideas:

Overnight oats

Apparently a craze amongst millennials (who knew?), overnight oats are simple to make the night before. Click on the link above for an easy tutorial. And the best thing about the recipe is you can personalize your oats with your favorite add-ins.

Yogurt parfait

Layer yogurt, with your favorite granola, fresh fruit, and honey.

Quiche

Fill an unthawed frozen pie crust with scrambled egg mixture, cheese and your favorite veggies and protein.

Breakfast burrito

Stuff a whole wheat tortilla with scrambled eggs, turkey bacon, sharp cheddar and scallions.

Smoothies

SO many nutritious, delicious ways to make smoothies. Here are 10 make ahead smoothies from my favorite go-to recipe site, AllRecipes.

I hope these healthy lunch ideas for teachers have inspired you to get creative when you think about school lunches. They take a little extra effort than just slapping together a PB and J, but your body and mind will thank you for going the extra mile.

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As the end of the school year approaches I know many of you are feeling weary. Even though spring break may have provided a brief respite, there is so much to be done between now and summer. If only there were magical tricks and tips for tired teachers.

Demands from every direction, lack of appreciation, not enough hours in the day to accomplish everything that needs to be done- these are just a few of the many factors that leave us feeling depleted and wondering just how much longer we can make it in this overwhelming career.

All of us, no matter what stage of our career we are in, feel this way from time to time. For no more than the simple reason that this is a crazy hard job! Even though people outside of our profession look at teaching and think “cakewalk”,  those of us on the front lines know better.

Jam-packed curriculum, standardized testing, behavior and discipline problems, over- or under-involved parents, unhelpful or overbearing administrators, the list goes on and on.

I'm here to remind you: this too shall pass. Yes, your concerns are valid. And if your gut is really telling you it's time for a change, by all means listen. But more than likely what you're feeling is temporary and a totally normal part of the emotional roller coaster that comes with doing a job that really matters. A job that demands you put your heart on the line. Every. Single. Day.

Here are a few tips for tired teachers to help you take a deep breath, come up with a plan and regain your equilibrium.

Tips for Tired Teachers:

Teachers, you are my heroes! Yes the job is difficult. No the pay is not sufficient. Neither is the level of respect we are given. But in the long run I promise you that the rewards outweigh the hassles. Hang in there! Practice these tips for tired teachers to keep you going. You've chosen a beautiful profession, ones with ups and downs and most importantly, one that matters.

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But as any teacher will tell you, balancing time in the classroom with time to prepare for the classroom is not as easy as it looks.

One thing’s for sure: planning by the seat of your pants is not an option. With that route, you’ll find that the work will expand to fill all of your available time, including nights and weekends!

That’s why it’s important to mindfully approach making the most of your planning time. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your valuable teacher planning time.

Making the Most of Your Teacher Planning Time:

Sketch out all available teacher planning times.

First things first. You need to know how much planning and prep time you actually have. You need to know how  much time you actually have available. This way you can make a schedule and make a plan.

Let’s say you have time before school, after school, during lunch and hopefully at least a 30-45 minute planning period each day. Create a planning template that clearly lays out these blocks of time. Be sure to block off weekly meetings, duties and other obligations.

You can use a self-created template, a store bought planner or calendar, your own binder system, or whatever works best for you. At the end of this blog post, I'll put a link to the schedule I use. I've made the freebie editable so you can add your own time slots and tasks.

Taking a look at the big picture is the first step in creating the space you need to sketch out  a system for getting the work done that works best for you.

Set your personal priorities.

Are you a morning person who likes to get to school before everyone else and get work done with no distractions?  Or maybe you need your morning time at home to take care of your family and have more leeway in the afternoon.

Do you prefer to use your lunch hour grabbing a quick bite and getting work done? Or do you need a midday social break to chat with your work friends?

All of these factors contribute to your sense of balance and happiness so it’s important to take them into consideration.

The best way to successfully tackle teacher planning time is to create a system that works best for you. You’ll be most efficient if you plan your prep work for times when you have the most energy to concentrate and really get work done. 

Create a system.

Once you’ve clearly staked out your teacher planning times, take a look at all of the tasks you need to accomplish on a daily and weekly basis to make your days run smoothly.

Some examples include: planning for math and literacy centers, changing out book boxes, planning for small groups and center rotation, sorting through science resources, printing, copying, etc. Every teacher’s task list is a little bit different.

Now, assign time slots for each of these tasks onto your template. One teacher I know likes to color code their tasks for easy reference. Another created a system using laminated daily task cards. Again, the actual tool you use isn’t as important as the thought you put into relegating your time.

Be sure to leave a little wiggle room in your system. Maybe leave 2 or 3 available blocks of time in your weekly schedule as flex time. That way if something pulls you off track you can roll tasks over to a different block of time.

Once you create your system, do your best to stick to it.

It’s true: we all have days when it seems as if there are endless emails and phone calls to make. Maybe it's a meeting or particular situations that need attention. Whatever it is, try your best to stick to your system.

Do what you need to do to create a focused workspace for yourself. To you that might mean closing your door or silencing your phone. Maybe you need to close your classroom door or find a place to hide out and work uninterrupted.

If (I should say when!) you’re pulled off track, don’t despair. Take care of the interruption and then hop back on track. After all, when it comes to teaching it’s just to be the nature of the job to be all-consuming.  Go easy on yourself and do the best you can.

Take time to reflect and make adjustments.

Look back each week and assess how your system is working. Celebrate any and all gains in efficiency and tweak anything that needs to be adjusted.

Just like starting a new exercise regime, you may need a little time to “get in shape”. But you'll find that the longer you work your system, the easier it will be to follow. You may even find that the longer you teach, the more spontaneous you can be when it comes to your workload.

No system is foolproof. But hopefully putting a little mindful thought into planning and protecting your teacher planning time will help you learn to use the precious time that you have wisely. To download a copy of the editable weekly planner page click here.

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