Taking Care of Yourself and Your Colleagues

I have been worrying about you this week. We are now in the season that causes a great deal of stress for many. Our time before the big test is limited, making decisions about next year brings up unsettling fear of the unknown, and it seems like the pressure keeps mounting. With the exception of one year, I have always taught in accountability grades, so I get it.

I wish I could take the stress from you. I wish I could just say, "don't assign your self-worth to one day and one number" and that would fix it, but I know it won't. I wish I could offer reassurance that everything will be okay next year and not to worry and you would believe me, but I know it's easier said than done. So while I don't want anyone to lose that sense of urgency that makes you so effective, I don't want you to be consumed with stress and worry. I care about each and every one of you as people and want you to be fulfilled and know you are making a difference no matter what the outcome.

Self Care
The stress and worry will not serve you well. It will only make things worse. Please take some time in the next weeks (especially on Spring Break!) for self-care. Read this article for great ideas about how!

BREATHE...The author of the article writes about how taking 5 minutes for a little break can actually help you be more productive...

"If you feel as if you’re going nonstop from sun up to sun down and don’t have a minute to yourself, some kind of midday break—even 5 minutes of listening to music—could do a lot to re-energize you for the day."

Take 5 minutes in your classroom at the beginning of your planning with your lights off to close your eyes and breathe.

Support Your Colleagues
Being a great teammate will help ease your colleague's stress and focusing on being kind and helpful to someone else will help ease yours! Check out these thoughts from Jon Gordon on how to be a great teammate:   http://www.jongordon.com/positivetip/11-thoughts-teamwork.html  Here are a couple of highlights from the link:

5. Three things you control every day are your attitude, your effort and your actions to be a great teammate. It doesn’t matter what is happening around you and who you think is being unfair. Every day you can focus on being positive, working hard and making others around you better. If you do that great things will happen.


6. One person can’t make a team but one person can break a team. Stay positive! Make sure you don’t let energy vampires sabotage your team. Post a sign that says “No Energy Vampires” allowed and keep them off the bus. Most importantly, decide to stay positive.

Focus on What You Can Control, Let go of What You Can't

This link takes you to a fantastic article.  I encourage you to check it out if you find yourself caught up in worry...http://www.becomingwhoyouare.net/focus-on-what-you-can-control/

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!  You got this!!!