To All The Educators Out There!! Let's find ways to bring your summer wellness vibes back to school this year!
Author: Alyssa McFarlane, LSW
As summer winds down we often get caught up in back-to-school activities and sometimes lose our summer wellness momentum. For educators, back to school time is both stressful and exciting as you prepare to shift back into school mode and meet your new students. In such a role of service to others, it is easy to forget to incorporate wellness into our daily lives. Hopefully summer has given us the opportunity to rest, restore and practice some self-care. Perhaps this year we can challenge ourselves to bring summer wellness vibes into our classrooms and school days.
The Power of HALT-ing
The first focus of practicing wellness is to care for our basic needs. A simple way to remember this is to practice HALT. Which stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely and Tired. This acronym allows us to check in with our bodies throughout the day and make sure we are feeling hydrated, fed, rested and supported. Of course, it's important to eat well but we must also ensure we are able to find moments to rest and practice good sleep hygiene.
The 5-Point Check In
Finding moments of rest can be a challenge, however it is something we can incorporate with students as well. One activity that is helpful is a 5-Point Check In. This check in requires us to use mindfulness and observe the following:
1. Our mind/thoughts
2. Body and physical sensations
3. Our breath (are we restricting or holding?)
4. Emotions (what feelings do we have in the moment?)
5. Energy levels (are we fatigued or energized?)
After observing, we can then use any method to help adjust our mood. This can include movement, dancing, deep breathing, laughing, journaling, talking, listening to music etc. Using a check in helps us keep track of how we are feeling and identify what we need.
The WRAP Method
Lastly, another means to practice wellness is to develop a WRAP or Wellness Recovery Action Plan. This can be found free online and is a simple, yet effective method to note the things we need to do daily, weekly, and monthly to care for ourselves. It also asks us to recognize potential triggers that alter our mood and coping skills and identify hobbies that help us feel our best. Using any one of these tools can help usher our summer wellness vibes into our exciting back to school fall season.
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