3 Tips for A Stress-Less Back to School Season
As you prepare for the first day of school your to-do list is long, very long. And even when the first day is over your list just seems to keep going. Today I am sharing some of my favorite tips to start the school year in a stress-less way!
Create a brain dump.
Between getting ready for the first day, looking over class lists, and attending professional development meetings on top of everyday life things there is a lot on your plate. If you are like me I tend to be thinking about lots of different things at any moment of the day. The best way I have found to help focus my thinking is to create a brain dump. I tend to do this in a concept map fashion but anyway will work. Grab a notebook and start writing all the things you are thinking need to “get done”. Just by doing this action your brain will take a breath.
2. Decide what matters most.
I learned this next tip after reading The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi and listening to Kendra’s podcast. Anytime I begin to feel overwhelmed I ask myself “What matters most right now?”. Kendra teaches that “if everything matters, then nothing does”. This has helped me so much in all different aspects of my life. Answering this question helps me to truly focus on what’s most important and lets me let go of the rest.
The benefits of determining what matters most during the back-to-school season can be huge! Take a moment at the beginning of each day to determine 1-3 things that matter most for that day. Focus on those things for the day and then take a breath knowing you did what was most important for the day.
3. Do Something For Yourself
I remember the excitement upon getting my first teaching job. I spent an incredible number of hours preparing for the first week of school, determined to make everything perfect. In doing so I forgot to take care of myself and became extremely exhausted and overwhelmed just a week or two into the school year.
The first day of school is important but there is an entire school year that follows. Taking care of yourself needs to be a priority so that you can make it through the year in a healthy way.
Make time each day to do something for yourself. Sit and watch a favorite show without any school work in front of you, go for a walk, spend time with your family or friends, or do some yoga. Whatever you find enjoyable make sure to schedule it every day.
I hope these simple, yet effective tips are helpful as you begin a new school year. No matter how overwhelmed you may feel remember to take a breath and know that you are doing amazing things and deserve to put yourself first!