Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Teacher Insight Thursday: Stress Relief


Did you have a long day at school? Were the students misbehaving? Or maybe an administrator has been on your case lately? Perhaps you have meeting after meeting and aren’t sure when you’ll have time to get that lesson plan done.

If you answered any of the questions above with a yes, then you are probably stressed. Below, I have come up with five ways to de-stress.  Now, I am no expert on stress remedies but these five ways have proven effective for me and I wanted to share those ways with you now.

  1. Make time for yourself: Read a book, watch television or a movie, just do something for yourself that you enjoy. Designate part of each day for “me time”
  2. Meditate: Okay, so this may sound a little corny, but in my experience, meditation is very relaxing after a long day at school.  I suggest The Meditation Podcast. The podcasts in this series are often themed, such as “Rejuvenating Sleep” or “Positive Thoughts.” It is really up to you to decide which episode you’d like to listen to.  Another suggestion is to download a meditation app for your smart phone or tablet.  I have a meditation app downloaded on my android phone.  The version I use is free; however, you can invest in the paid version if you prefer.  You can find the app here: SelfHypnosis for Meditation
  3. Exercise: Okay, so this isn’t my go-to when I want to distress, but I have, on occasion, found it helpful.  In my experience, however, exercising can be burdensome of mundane. Spice it up! I personally enjoy Zumba. You can find classes in your area here
  4. Take a bath: I love this destresser! Here is how I do it:

    • Fill your tub with hot water. It’s really up to you how hot you want it. I prefer to make the water as hot as I can stand it. I detest cold baths, and starting off with warm water runs the risk of your bath cooling off.  This can ruin your bath if you were planning on taking a long one.
    • Invest in bath salts. I LOVE to use this bath soak from Bath and Body Works:
Stress Relief: $16.00
    • Turn down or turn off the lights and light some aromatherapy candles
    • Splurge on yummy scented body wash and shampoo.  Again, I find my favorite scents at Bath and Body Works.  My current scent is Orange Ginger
    • If you have an ipod dock or boombox, put on some relaxing music.  I personally enjoy Norah Jones or Annie Lennox
    • Slip into the tub, lay back, and relax!
  1. Eat Ice Cream! Okay, so this isn’t necessarily a healthy snack.  But I find that after a long day, ice cream is just the thing I need. My personal favorite is Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie

Well, that’s all I have for you! If you have additional tips for distressing, please leave them in the comments section below.


Thanks!


Disclaimer: I do not receive money from Bath and Body Works, Ben and Jerry’s, or Android.  The above tips are just my suggestions.  Please feel free to alter them to suit your needs. 

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