3 Tips to Ease Teacher Stress Immediately!

Sometimes things happen in the classroom that raise your stress from 0 to 100. Oh, take a walk, take the rest of the day off, go take 15 minutes for yourself. These acts may be easy for the average person, but not easy for a teacher who has 20 to 35 students sitting in front of them. Here are 3 tips that teachers can take to ease stress immediately. They can help you as a teacher and they may help calm your students down as well.

Step 1. 

5 Minute Reset

Take 5 minutes to focus on the positive things in your life. Let go of what is currently stressing you. Take this time to take some deep breaths and just reset your emotions. If you currently have students, let them know that you need a moment to destress and you all will be participating in a 5 minute breathing exercise.

Doing this with your students helps them understand that times get tough for you as well. They can feel when you are stressed and pretending not to be can subliminally teach students to hide their hurt and frustrations. They will enjoy this break from a stressful day of learning by being given a few minutes to think about things that bring them joy. Afterwards you and your students will feel refreshed and it will make the day a little easier to go through.

Step 2.

Listen to Music

Listening to your favorite song or upbeat music can make you feel better and take your mind off of the stressful situation long enough to relax a little and lower the level of cortisol in your bloodstream. Listening to slower tempo music can relax your mind and relieve the stress and tension you may be feeling. If you are currently with students, tell them that you are going to play a little music while they work. If you need to give the students an independent assignment during this time so that you can destress, do that. Do not feel bad and do not feel like a failure. No one understands how it feels to be a teacher in the classroom today except another teacher. You are human just like anyone else and it is important not to live a life where your stress levels are consistently elevated. 

For the last 15 years of my teaching career, I have played relaxing music as my students entered my classroom every morning. Parents have commented that they love the relaxing atmosphere that I proved for their children. The students have commented that they look forward to entering my classroom everyday because it relaxes them. Playing relaxing music has become a characteristic of my classroom. I no longer use it as a strategy to reduce stress, but to be proactive and help to avoid it.

Step 3

Practice Muscle Relaxation Techniques

When we are experiencing stress, our bodies become tense, especially in our neck and shoulders. The tension can last for days and weeks after the stress has subsided.

Close your eyes and slowly drop your head forward as far as it will comfortably go. You will be able to feel the tension in the back of your neck. Keep your eyes closed as you slowly roll your head all the way around until it is back in the forward down position. Do this two more times then switch directions and do that for 3 rotations. Now carefully lift your head up and take a deep long breath. 

Now slowly roll your shoulders up. Extend them forward as much as you comfortably can. You may be able to feel the tension in your shoulders. Drop your shoulders down and feel the weight of your problem leaving your body. Extend your shoulders back then slowly back up in a circular motion. Continue doing this at least 4 more times then reverse the direction and complete 5 circles as well. You can practice this with relaxing music also.

If you are currently with students, teach them this technique as well. It is important that students have these strategies to cope with their stressors. When they see that you use the strategies and they help you, they are more likely to use them as well when they find themselves in stressful situations.           

These strategies are not meant to be long term solutions. Schedule time to deal with the issues that are stressing you out. If not, the stress can turn into more severe health problems. We invite you to visit our TCN911 Page for more helpful tips. If you think more specialized help visit our Resource Page.

If you have a strategy or tip that helps you relieve stress immediately, share it with our teacher community. Your share may be just what another teacher needs to get through the day.