Educators who are dedicated to their work and have a strong desire to make a difference in the lives of their students can rarely avoid taking work home with them at night and on weekends.  The reality of the teaching profession is that some work, such as grading papers, will be done at home.  A problem can arise for an educator's mental health when too much time is spent doing work at home and inadequate time is spent taking care of their personal needs.  Not taking time out to rest and relax can have serious negative effects on a person's physical and emotional well-being.

One effective strategy for taking some time out for yourself is to actually schedule time - at least 30 minutes per day - to do something just because you enjoy it and not because you have to. Whether it is reading a book, watching a television show, taking a walk with a friend or family member, or anything else unrelated to teaching, allow yourself time to do an activity like that each day.  I recommend keeping the time in your schedule until it becomes routine or, if necessary, indefinitely.  Allowing you this time will help decrease stress levels and increase concentration and productivity when it is time to work.

If taking time out for yourself is something that you haven't done in a very long time, it may take some getting used to.  When you first start, pay attention to your thoughts during your scheduled free time.  If your thoughts are on all of the things that you "should" be doing for work then your relaxation isn't going to be effective or beneficial.  Be patient with yourself and accept that while it may take a while to become routine, it will be worth it in the long run.

By Bethany Lawson