Practical Self-Care: How to Prioritize Your Well-Being in the Classroom

Practical Self-Care Strategies for New and Experienced Educators

The idea of self-care isn’t new, but for teachers, it’s essential. We must take care of ourselves in order to effectively care for the students we teach every day. I’m thrilled to welcome this guest post by third-year teacher Hannah Sansom, who shares her personal journey and practical teacher self-care tips.

Why Teacher Self-Care Matters

This may sound cliché, but you MUST take care of yourself. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that your students (yes, I call them “your kids”) depend on you to show up—not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. To be fully present, you need to prioritize your own well-being so you can embrace those silly off-topic conversations, appreciate the drawings and random gifts, and be there to wipe away tears.

Practical Self-Care Tip 1 Physical Self-Care for Teachers: Protect Your Health

During my first year of teaching, I completely lost my voice, caught the stomach bug on Christmas Day, and relied way too much on over-the-counter medicine. That “first-year teacher immune system” is real! I stayed up too late, perfecting lessons and lost sleep over school-related stress. Sound familiar?

Here are a few physical self-care tips for teachers that helped me:

• Tip 1: Eat healthy (but don’t forget to indulge in chocolate and coffee!)

• Tip 2: Keep allergy medicine, Tylenol, hand sanitizer, and chocolate in a safe spot at school—you’ll thank me later.

• Tip 3: Invest in essential oils like peppermint (for headaches) and immune defense (for those sneeze-filled days).

• Tip 4: Prioritize sleep. Seriously.

  
  

Practical Self-Care Tip 2 Emotional Self-Care for Teachers: Give Yourself Grace

I spent many Friday nights and weekends at school—planning, copying, grading—just trying to stay afloat. School was always on my mind. As a perfectionist, I wanted everything to be just right, which led to long hours and unnecessary stress.

Eventually, I realized that things don’t have to be picture-perfect. I wasted hours scrolling Pinterest and Teachers Pay Teachers for the “cutest” activity, even when I already had something that worked. I tried to create an Instagram-worthy classroom, instead of focusing on what really mattered: being present for my students. I brought myself to tears more than once, feeling like I had failed because a lesson didn’t go perfectly, or I made a mistake. But here’s the truth: you will make mistakes, and not every lesson will be amazing—and that’s okay.

Here are a few emotional self-care tips for teachers I wish I had embraced sooner:

• Tip 1: Set a nightly time to unplug and unwind (watch a show, go to the gym, journal—whatever helps you relax).

• Tip 2: Don’t work all weekend. Make time to enjoy life outside of school.

• Tip 3: Don’t let negativity weigh you down.

• Tip 4: Accept that not every moment will be perfect—and that’s part of the journey.

Final Thoughts: You Can’t Pour from an Empty Cup

Your first year of teaching will be filled with new experiences and challenges. But through it all, remember this: take care of yourself, because your students need you at your best.

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