Lower school day stress FAST
We’ve all been there - One stressful thing happens and BAM, your whole school day feels ruined. You can’t seem to shake that awful feeling of overwhelm or grouchiness.
For teachers, not being able to shake off stress fast makes it challenging to effectively do your job.
If you’ve been there, never fear - Here are 3 wellness ideas, 2 quotes, and 1 question to help you lower stress fast and get your school day back on track.
3 Quick Stress Relievers from Me
I.
Breathe deep. Deep breathing is a powerful tool for teachers because you can do it anywhere, anytime. As few as 3 deep breaths have been shown to help calm our nervous systems down. The next time something or someone stresses you out during the school day, pause and take 3, slow, deep breaths from the belly, and see how you feel.
II.
Tense and Release. Shoulders, hands, jaw, and forehead are some of the most common areas people unconsciously tense when stressed. Releasing that muscle tension can help you get back to a place of calm. Tense the muscles one at a time (by squeezing shoulders to ears, hands into fists, clenching the jaw, and scrunching your forehead) for around 5 seconds and then release. Repeat until you start to feel more relaxed in your body.
III.
Ear Massage. Sounds weird, but stick with me! This idea comes from Traditional Chinese Medicine acupressure therapy. Gently pull down on the lobes and massage the surface of the ear for 2-3 minutes. Don’t knock it ‘til you try it! This is another easy, discrete tension reliever you can do at any time during the school day.
2 Quotes from Others
I.
“Give your stress wings and let it fly away.” - Terri Guillemets
II.
“Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” - Oprah Winfrey
1 Question For You
Which of these three stress relievers will you consciously practice this school week?
If you enjoyed that, please share this post with other teachers who may benefit!
Until next week,
Emily Hemmingson
Health Coach for Teachers
Creator of The Teacher Wellness Center Membership Community
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