SEL Spotlight
December 2020
December SEL Focus: Self-care!
You cannot care for those around you if you do not take care of yourself first. If our own buckets are empty, there is nothing to pour into our students, families, work, or anything.
Recharging Isn't Just for Your Devices!
Research from Select Health shows that Americans are terrible at decompressing and recharging. Statistically, we take fewer vacations, work harder, retire later, and have fewer days off than any other industrialized country. Add in the stress of a pandemic and relearning our "normal," and it is no wonder we feel exhausted.
Now, more than ever, it is important to find ways to recharge yourself!
Your emotional wellbeing is greatly impacted when you are tired or feel overwhelmed. It is important to recognize the signs when you feel that way and to take purposeful steps to minimize those feelings when/how you can.
First, know the signs! ! When you are depleted, these are common things you might notice:
- You feel physically tired, have aches, pains, tension headaches, or even dizziness.
- You are more moody than normal and may cry more easily.
- You have the desire to withdraw from people and tasks that you usually enjoy.
- You have trouble staying focused on tasks and are experiencing lower concentration.
- You feel guilt or anger for taking on too many responsibilities.
- You are experiencing negative self talk.
- You feel anxious, experience a racing heart, or high blood pressure.
- You sleep patterns are irregular; either sleeping too much or too little.
- You are tempted to put things off because you feel there is too much.
The good news is when you encounter these feelings and symptoms, there are steps you can take to repair your emotional state and recharge your "mental batteries."
- Put yourself in time out! It may sound funny, but taking time each day, even if it is only 5 minutes a day, to do nothing but decompress can be very helpful.
- When you feel physical stress symptoms, use breathing strategies to relieve tension and increase positive blood flow in your body.
- Get fresh air at least once a day. Oxygen can refresh and reinvigorate your senses and thinking.
- Exercise will help your body relax and recharge. Yoga, Pilates, and meditation have all been scientifically proven to help reduce stress and anxiety.
- Try to do one task at a time to make your load feel more manageable.
- Reach out to a friend or loved one that you can be honest with about your stress. Share you frustrations with them and ask for help or encouragement.
- Listen to calming music that brings you enjoyment.
- Eat a more balanced diet. High-fat, high-sugar foods often seem to provide temporary stress relief, but in the long run, those foods can actually increase our stress due to the way they spike our blood sugar.
- Express gratitude! Studies show that people who are grateful have better mental and emotional health. Try to find at least 10 things a day to be grateful about.
- Practice positive self-talk. Even on tough days, remind yourself that you are doing your best. Give yourself some grace!
Take the first step - show up for yourself!
Helping Others with Their Self-Care
Students Need These Skills Too!
Self-care practices can be embedded into lessons and daily routines:
1. Encourage students to ask themselves:
- Who can I connect with today?
- Who can I ask for help today if I need it?
- What am I grateful for today?
- How will I get physical activity today?
- When will I spend time outside today?
- How can I be creative today?
2. Create times for reflection questions:
- When was your brain most focused?
- What activities make your brain feel most focused?
- Have you experienced a time where you had to persevere? How did you handle that?
- How do you know you need time for activity, movement, or a change in pace/scenery?
- When do you feel most relaxed and at ease?
- How do handle being anxious? What do you do to ease that anxiety?
- What gives you hope and makes you feel positive?
3. Embed growth mindset into your lessons:
- Focus on encouraging the process, not just the outcomes.
- Use positive, hopeful language.
- Encourage students to believe in and highlight their strengths and abilities.
- Celebrate the importance of challenges and handling them with a positive mindset.
- Build in creative, student-choice activities into your lessons.
- Teach students to exercise positive self-talk.
4. Encourage activities that help you get to know more about your students and their lives. This will help you identify areas of interest, possible concerns, and ways to connect.
- Have students share about their family customs, personal interests, events in their lives, etc.
- Incorporate ways for students to share new experiences, hobbies, interests, or learning they may have had.
- Do pulse checks through journaling, warm up discussions, or exit tickets. Ask students how they are and what they need.
5. Choose read-aloud books, class texts, student reads, etc. that incorporate social-emotional skills into student learning.
- The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss
- The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
- We’re All Wonders by R. J. Palacio
- CHILL Like a Superhero by M-C Bailey-McKenna
- Friend Me! 10 Awesome Steps to Fun and Friendship by Laura Buddenberg & Alesia Montgomery
- AWKWARD: the Social Dos and Don'ts of Being a Young Adult by Katie Saint & Carlos Torres
6. Teach students mindfulness techniques, so they have ways to decompress when they feel overwhelmed.
- Deep breathing techniques
- Brain breaks and brain teasers
- Sensory activities and physical movement
- Guided Imagery
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Continuing Education Department. We hope you find time to recharge and care for yourself during your break! Thank you for all you do for GISD!
Continuing Education Department
Email: russlerr@greenvilleisd.com
Website: https://www.greenvilleisd.com/domain/946
Location: 4004 Moulton Street, Greenville, TX, USA
Phone: 903-408-4464