Being a teacher in the tertiary level is a unique kind of exhausting 🎓. We spend our days managing classrooms, grading complex papers, and trying to stay ahead of our research goals 📚. It is a job that demands our full mental and emotional presence. I know how easy it is to let your own needs slide to the bottom of the list. But if we want to be the best for our students, we have to prioritize self-care for teachers who are giving their all every single day 🌟.

I’m right there with you in the trenches of university life 🤝. My own attempts at balance are far from perfect. I’ve had those days where I’m so drained that my planned workout becomes a nap in my office chair 😴. But I’ve found a few specific activities that help me reclaim my energy. Here are some of my favorite ways to practice self-care for teachers without feeling like it’s just another chore on the to-do list ✨.

Reconnect With Your Mind Through Reading and Journaling 📖

As academicians, we read for work constantly. We read journals, theses, and student submissions until our eyes are tired 😵‍💫. However, reading for pleasure is a powerful form of self-care for teachers because it allows us to escape into a world where we aren’t the experts 🌍. I try to pick up a novel or a book on personal growth that has nothing to do with my curriculum. It reminds me that there is a world outside of my syllabus 🕊️.

Journaling is another way to process the mental clutter that comes with tertiary teaching ✍️. Sometimes I just write down how frustrated I am that my mood didn’t match my plans for the day. Other times I write down the small wins, like a student finally “getting” a difficult concept 💡. Putting pen to paper helps me untangle my thoughts. It turns my internal chaos into something I can actually manage 📓.

Fuel Your Spirit Through Travelling and Quality Time ✈️

The academic calendar can be grueling, so travelling is my favorite way to hit the reset button 🗺️. Even a quick weekend trip away from my desk helps me gain a fresh perspective. I’ve realized that I am a better educator when I’ve seen more of the world beyond my campus walls 🌊. It reminds me that life is meant to be lived and not just managed 🎒.

One of the most nourishing forms of self-care for teachers is simply eating with family and friends 🍽️. My job is so sedentary and solitary when I’m grading or researching. Sitting down for a meal with the people I love grounds me 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦. We talk about everything except work. I let myself enjoy the food without the guilt of “cheating” on a diet, especially when my cycle is making everything feel a bit harder 🥘. Connection is the best antidote to professional burnout 💖.

Boost Your Energy With Badminton and Pickle Ball 🏸

We need to move our bodies to stay strong for our many tasks 🏋️‍♀️. I personally love playing badminton because it forces me to be present in the moment. You can’t think about your research or your next lecture when a shuttlecock is flying at your face 🏸! It’s fast, it’s fun, and it gets my heart rate up in a way that feels like play rather than a “workout” 🏃‍♀️.

If you want to try something new, pickle ball is the hit sport today for a reason 🎾. It is easy to learn and very social, which is perfect for us academicians who spend too much time in our own heads. It’s a great way to meet people outside of the faculty lounge and get some much-needed movement 👟. Even if I struggle to get to the court some days, I never regret the energy boost I get once I’m there ⚡.

Embracing the Journey of Imperfect Self-Care for Teachers 🌈

I am always working on myself and I know the struggle of being inconsistent. Some weeks I am a self-care champion and other weeks I am just trying to survive until Friday 🗓️. That is okay because we are in this journey together. Self-care for teachers isn’t about being perfect. It is about finding those small pockets of joy in a busy academic life 🥂.