Do you feel like you are always on the go? Rushing around to get out the door in the morning and to school on time? Cramming everything you need to do in your precious prep time? Slammed with problems the minute you walk into school? We know this isn’t great for our health, but we also know how difficult it can be to take care of ourselves during our busy school days.

Back in the swing after the December break, you might have caught yourself thinking, “I don’t have time to think about or do anything about my stress during the school day.” Sound familiar?

It’s the start of the new calendar year. Clean Slate. Turn the page for a fresh start. Many people use this time of the year to reflect on the prior year - what went well, what memories you want to revisit, what you want more or less of in your life in the upcoming year. It’s also a traditional time to set big goals, but we know from habit experts that these big goals often flit away from our grasp within a week or two

With the new year approaching, many of us start to think about the big goals we want to set for the upcoming year. We start off with lots of vim and vigor, motivation and commitment…and then a day or so goes by, and we start thinking, “I’ll get to that tomorrow!” And then slowly, or more quickly for some of us, our big goals die away, which leads us to think, “I will never be able to…”

Food always seems to be the topic our Educator Wellness workshop participants want to know more about! Getting those 30 plant based foods in a week and increasing diversity is a new goal for many.

We come into this world not having a care about receiving permission to do whatever we want. Fast forward a few years and asking permission became part of our lives, whether we could have a snack, or watch tv, or go play with a friend.

You might have heard the Christmas song “Baby it’s Cold Outside” and thought, yup…too cold to be outside! That can be your first thought. Your second thought might be…But not THAT cold! And your third thought can be, “In fact, getting outside in the cold has many health benefits!”

You ever walk in a room and immediately feel a certain vibe around you? That’s energy.

Coming off a long weekend of holiday gatherings, there may have been moments when you were around people with negative energy.

The Oxford Language dictionary defines weariness as

1. extreme tiredness; fatigue.

2. reluctance to see or experience any more of something.

As the days turn into darkness earlier, holiday season approaches, and kids start to get a little wonky with the anticipation of vacation, educators can begin to feel weary and think, “I’m too tired for any self-care!” or “There’s just not enough time in my day for any self-care!”

We know it can be tough to squeeze in wellness during your school day, but an easy way to continue your wellness journey during your day is to chew your food! You might be thinking, well of course I chew my food, but if you are working and eating, or eating and driving, or eating during a meeting, chances are you aren’t chewing your food enough!

Yes, the typo is intentional😅 This is the name of a Storyworks article we used with 3rd and 4th graders and the title always stick with me, reminding me that indeed, nobody is perfect.

Should I let this kiddo go to the bathroom? Do I need to take more time with this concept? Should I respond to Jack’s behavior or let this one go? Should I answer this email now or let it wait? Should I make Susan redo this homework assignment? Should I take 2 more minutes to finish this lesson? Any of these thoughts sound familiar?

We often hear, “Don’t ask me to do one more thing during my school day!” School days are jam-packed and oftentimes we put off our own wellness until the school day ends. However, we know at the end of a long day when we are tired and have made tens of thousands of decisions, we often don’t make the healthiest of choices. Netflix, here we come!

As teachers, we don’t have control over the germs that walk in our classroom, the cleaners being used, or even the air quality. We’ve all had those days where the smells, stuffiness, and swirling germs make us want to head right back out the door. The good news is you do have control over your windows!

We know movement is important for our health and that it can be a much needed break for students. Tired of Go Noodle and Jack Hartman? Want a more peaceful movement break for yourself and/or your students? Try Qi gong!

Mother Nature did a beautiful job when designing the human body. Every part, every organ, every hormone, is multi-functional. Each and every one has yin and yang qualities as well as positive and not so positive attributes.

We all know nut allergies and classrooms are not a great mix… But sometimes you just want the crunch and protein that nuts offer for snack time. A delicious and nutritious alternative to nuts?

You are teaching; the phone rings for Grayson to go to speech; Alison blurts out, “Can I go to the bathroom?” not following your carefully set up procedure for bathroom breaks; the SMART board malfunctions; you have to stop your lesson ten minutes early for students to wash their hands before lunch so those COVID germs are contained….

Sniffle…aaaachhhoooo….cough-cough-cough…..more sniffles….it sounds like a germ symphony in your classroom. The germs get passed around from one student to the next. You can almost see the germs flying around your classroom, wondering when they are going to attack you.