Teacher's Guide to Reducing Your Stress Level

According to the British Journal of Educational Psychology (1993 Jun;63 ( Pt 2):261-70), "Results revealed that the majority of teachers sampled, 72.6 percent, were experiencing moderate levels of stress, and 23.2 percent serious levels." What that boils down to is that teaching is a stressful job. It is a rewarding and satisfying job, but nonetheless, stressful. It is important to take care of yourself physically and mentally to be able to deal with the stressors in your life. Not only does stress come from teaching, but juggling your own kids and family as well. Take a look at this guide to reducing your stress level, and see if you can implement even a couple of these ideas to help make you feel more relaxed.

Stress Busters

Try getting up at least 15 minutes earlier each morning to have some time to yourself. You can make coffee or stretch before anyone else in the house gets up.
Prepare for your next day the prior evening before you go to bed. Waking up in the morning knowing that you are ready helps make things run more smoothly.
Instead of trying to remember multiple things in your head, write them down. " Practice saying "no" to people. No one expects you to be able to do everything, so don't even try.
Keep a journal. Writing out your feelings is a great way to reduce stress. Seeing your problems on paper often times leaves them there.
Think of ways to practice preventative measures, such as making duplicate keys to avoid being locked out of your car or house, and fixing things around the house or classroom that have the potential to breakdown on you.
Prepare meals on the weekends and freeze them to be used during the week. Simple meals can be just as nutritious as extravagant meals.
Know your goals in life and set priorities. Having direction makes situations more worthwhile.
When given a large task to complete, break it down into smaller steps. It won't look so overwhelming if you try this.
Reduce clutter in your home and classroom. Get rid of things that you know you will never use again, or at least find a way to neatly store them away, if you cannot come to throw them away.
Uplift other people in your life. Say nice things about them. This goes a long way in making you feel distressed, too.
Say positive things about yourself. Believe in what you are doing, and remind yourself that you are making an impact on kids who rely on you. You are pretty important, eh?
Take a warm bubble bath to ease tension. " Develop a hobby that makes you feel good. Some people like to read as a hobby, while others prefer to do something with their hands. Find your niche.
Give your appearance a new makeover. Getting a new hairstyle or treating yourself to a new outfit is okay!
Consider joining a gym or practice meditation. Breathing exercises are also recommended to reduce stress.

As long as you are a teacher you will feel some effects of stress in your life. You have to make a personal decision that you will take measures to reduce your stress. The people around you may not change, so you are the one who has to do the changing. Stress is not only a mental factor, but a physical factor as well. Taking care of your body and mind is paramount. Eating a healthy diet and putting optimistic thoughts into your head is certainly beneficial. It takes practice, but you're worth it!