Maybe it's because I'm getting older but... I've been thinking a lot more about taking care of myself physically this back to school season. In previous years I thought a lot about getting myself mentally/ emotionally prepared with lesson plans, organization systems at home, etc, but this year I'm trying to be more intentional about getting my body ready for going back to teaching- here's what I'm doing to get in school shape now that I'm a few weeks away from the first day of school.
1. Sing More
This is actually one thing I've done consciously for several years now but it's worth mentioning: I am intentional about singing more throughout the day as the school year approaches. I've found it helps so much with vocal stamina when I do this, and I lose my voice a lot less than I used to! Plus of course the side benefit is my improved mood from singing more :) I just turn on my favorite songs and sing along whenever I can!
2. Eat at Regular Times
One of my favorite things about summer vacation is snacking. Eating whenever I feel like it, and not having to shove food down my throat, is such a luxury! But I'm trying to get my stomach and my body used to only eating at meal times, and specifically at the meal times I have during the school year.
3. Sleep More
I tend to keep a pretty consistent sleep schedule even in the summer time so I don't have to start getting used to waking up earlier (but if you are one of those people who likes to sleep in late in the summer, I would switch my wakeup times a few weeks before to adjust), but sometimes in the summer I do stay up a little later watching a show, reading a book, or talking to a friend because I know I can sleep in- I'm trying to hold myself accountable to getting to bed like I have a full week of teaching ahead. Honestly it gives me more energy and puts me in a better mood so I can better enjoy these last few weeks of vacation anyway!
4. Exercise
This has been the most dramatic addition to my back to school preparation this year. I have never been good at motivating myself to exercise on purpose, especially during the school year, so the second half of this summer I've really tried to commit to doing at least 10-20 minutes of some type of exercise each day. What I'm realizing is that I'm going into the school year so much more in shape than I have in the past, and I really think (hope) that will help me with the exhaustion I normally feel at the beginning of the school year, even just from classroom setup!
I don't think anything on this list is revolutionary, but I hope it serves as a reminder for all of us to take care of ourselves this year! Let me know in the comments what you're doing to get yourself ready physically for the start of the school year.
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