Definately try to eliminate my massive nicotine intake and stick to my promise that I will excercise 3 to 4 times a week. Rather than smoking I am going to make an attempt to walk around the school for a few minutes to take that 1-2 minute breather versus smoking.
Now that the warm weather is upon us I can take a brief walk outside around our building between classes when the stress is really getting to me. During the cold months I could take a brief walk through the hallways. The potential downfall to this is if the walk becomes a more of hinder to productivity. An example would be if you begin to choose to take the walk instead of getting the more important difficult things done on your to do list (use as a form of procrastination). The real balance act is to manage your time and stress simultaneously without one causing issues for the other. :)
I can continue to remind myself that there is no absolute in life. There are only 24 hours in a day and that some of those hours need to be reserved for me and for only me to do whatever I chose to do.
I find exercise to be the best stress outlet for me. I walk/run the dog a couple miles a day.
Indeed! Sounds like you are in the right place if you need a massage too Dona.
I am a massage therapy instructor. Getting a massage once or twice a month really can help manage stress.
I try to do something for myself that is not work related. I started running and planning to run a marathon. I also play golf which totally takes my mind of all my stressors.
Great quote Eva and I completely agree. Thanks so much for sharing. It is great to take quality time to spend with family. It's a healthy step in the right direction.
I constantly travel with family to release burn out and relieve stress. As an old adage goes, "All work and no play makes one a dull person". Taking quality time to spend with family nurtures relationship and boost up feeling of well being.
Ha! Really love your outlook Carol and what a wonderful saying. So true too. Our problems don't define us. Instead, the way we handle them does.
This is a great strategy Rosita. Many instructors benefit from deep breathing and you can do this anywhere.
Take deep breathing and stretching breaks after each class before tackling another lesson or my to do list
Just like eliminating the contact you have to have with people who are irritating, reduce your exposure to what stresses you when you can. Live with it, deal with it as efficiently as possible and don't dwell on it. People who go on and on about what irritates them or stresses them, are just focusing on something that cannot be changed. Let go of it.......not going to make things any better to focus and complain about it. Some wisdom from a quote on a popsicle stick that I got from the drive through teller at the bank; "Your problem is not your problem, your reaction to your problem is the problem!"
Sounds like you need to jump start your old routine Mary. It's easy to fall off track with things like sickness, new tasks or even the holidays. But if you had a good routine going before, go ahead and see if you can pick things up where you left off. It's ok to start slow too!
It's very important to listen Harry so I'm glad to hear you are on top of that. Yes, students do face many challenges. It's not just about what they have to do to earn their degree. It's about everything else. Approaching them from a place of understanding is the best first step.
What's really interesting is if you listen and observe your students in the classroom, you can actually hear many of them sighing when they are doing work. Many of them are stressed out not necessarily from the work they are doing but from the combination of many stressors in their lives. The other day at the start of class I took them on a quick 5 min walk around the building and it seemed to help with flow of the class.
I have not been able to exercise for a while because I have been sick. I would like to get back to walkingon the treadmill when I feel better. I also need to do a better
Job of not internalizing the problems at work.
Coping with stress is very important when dealing with it during work and home. There are ways to managing it in a healthy fashion with help.
Sounds like the right approach Sharon. Thanks for sharing! I appreciate the part about growing and learning. We are not perfect as educators and must continuously strive to optimize our performance.
Hi Walt,
I totally agree with your personal plan. I don't drink coffee or a lot of caffeine normally; but, I could cut down on sugar (I love it). I am and always have been a positive person and only surround myself with positive and supportive friends/family. I started walking 5 miles on the beach 1-2 days/week at 5:45 AM in the morning, or 6:30 PM in the evening with a group of friends and this is amazing. We see the sun come up in the morning; or see the sun set in the evening ;as we watch the beautiful ocean on our walking path.
I look forward to making a difference in the lives of students each day and for myself, to do everything in my power to be happy for my life and my health. Good luck with your personal plan and the best to you.
Sharon Rogers RN, MSM, NEC
