Let’s jump right into the rest of my tips for self-care during this time of drastic changes.
Tip #4: Less Is More
You can boil water at 212 degrees. Boiled is boiled.
Higher temperatures will not make it “more boiled”.
Higher temperatures just consume more resources that could be used for something else more productive. Some of us are boiling ourselves at 276 degrees. You are not a more effective teacher by boiling yourself this unnecessarily high degree.
Remember, the Minimum Effective Dosage (MED) is the principle of finding the smallest dose it takes to produce an ideal outcome. Anything less than your MED won’t work, and anything more is a waste of time, resources, and energy.
Tip #5: Sharpen the Saw
Sharpen the saw. If you cut the tree with a dull blade, it will take you 2 hours, but if you take the time to sharpen the saw first, it might take 10 minutes.
Again, we are talking about the importance of your self-care, utilizing the minimum effective dosage, and truly working smarter—not harder.
What if we take the time to sharpen the saw so that we’re set up to do our best work?
Tip #6: One of my top 5 Happiness Tips
The average person has about 60,000 thoughts per day.
Of those, 80% are negative and 95% are exactly the same repetitive negative thoughts as the day before.
How do we change the negative loop in your brain? Would you believe that there’s a simple gratitude practice that can do the trick?
If you write down three different things you are thankful for every day for the next 21 days, you rewire your brain and shift it towards optimism. They don’t have to be extravagant. Perhaps a warm cup of tea, sunshine, and laughter make your list. It’s a simple practice that will have a profound effect on your life.
My biggest wish for you is to reclaim your joy in the teaching profession while also honoring that you are also more than a teacher. You are a person outside of the classroom and that person deserves to be cared for.
